Today's Readings and Stuff -- Wednesday, 22 August 2019

Next-to-last Wednesday in August.  Septemberrrr is on the horizon.   Ick!

And I'l beat.  Probably didn't get even 2 hours of sleep last night, for some unknown reason.  Wife did a bit better, but not much.  And we needed to be Across The Back Yard to "watch" the great-niece and -nephew.  Always a joy, but also hard on the energy levels, particularly when you start out at a deficit there.  Halfway through, I got detailed to go to the pharmacy Across The Line, to pick up some more refills.  So I did.
Now, we're the kids are with their mom and their dad is off to work another 12-hour night shift.  And Wife is resting, even had a brief nap.  I've got the washer going with one load and have already done most of the collection for the garbage can that goes out tonight.    All routine stuff that Somebody Has To Do.  That being me.  Not so bad, really.


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Job 23

1Then Job answered and said,

2Even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning.

3Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!

4I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.

5I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me.

6Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me.

7There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge.

8Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:

9On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:

10But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

11My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.

12Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

13But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.

14For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.

15Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him.

16For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me:

17Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither hath he covered the darkness from my face.

Job 24

1Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days?

2Some remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed thereof.

3They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge.

4They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves together.

5Behold, as wild asses in the desert, go they forth to their work; rising betimes for a prey: the wilderness yieldeth food for them and for their children.

6They reap every one his corn in the field: and they gather the vintage of the wicked.

7They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that they have no covering in the cold.

8They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter.

9They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor.

10They cause him to go naked without clothing, and they take away the sheaf from the hungry;

11Which make oil within their walls, and tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst.

12Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out: yet God layeth not folly to them.

13They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.

14The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief.

15The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face.

16In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light.

17For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death: if one know them, they are in the terrors of the shadow of death.

18He is swift as the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth: he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards.

19Drought and heat consume the snow waters: so doth the grave those which have sinned.

20The womb shall forget him; the worm shall feed sweetly on him; he shall be no more remembered; and wickedness shall be broken as a tree.

21He evil entreateth the barren that beareth not: and doeth not good to the widow.

22He draweth also the mighty with his power: he riseth up, and no man is sure of life.

23Though it be given him to be in safety, whereon he resteth; yet his eyes are upon their ways.

24They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way as all other, and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn.

25And if it be not so now, who will make me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth?

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Psalm 146

1Praise ye the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul.

2While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.

3Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.

4His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

5Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God:

6Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:

7Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The Lord looseth the prisoners:

8The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind: the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down: the Lord loveth the righteous:

9The Lord preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.

10The Lord shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the Lord.

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Galatians 5

1Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

2Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.

3For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

4Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

5For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

6For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

7Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?

8This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.

9A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

10I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.

11And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.

12I would they were even cut off which trouble you.

13For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

14For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

15But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

16This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

17For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

18But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

24And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

25If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

26Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.