Today's Readings and Stuff -- Monday, 18 January 2016 MLK Day

g'morning.  A late morning here for me, I slept in.  No alarm clock these days, except for the cats.  We'd laid down last night, and then before we drifted off, Dear Wife had the "nibblies".  At around 11:00.So we got back up, heated up some leftover bran muffins from Saturday, munched a bit, I sent of last night's blog post, and then went to bed.  Cats woke me up at 05:10 demanding breakfast, which I did, and then went back to bed.  At which time, Dear Wife was suffering from the arthritis and bursitis and cold, and decided to move to the recliner (which is also near the gas fireplace that is our only heat source).  So I assisted with blankets and pillows and such.  And then went back to bed and slept for a few hours more.  Now I'm up, not admiring the cold and snow and ice outside, but am only three feet from that gas fire so it's not bad.  She's back in bed, fast asleep, which is how she spends much of her days.  The body is trying to do something, and it's cheap medicine, so we listen to the body.
Today is Martin Luther King jr. Day.  I have nothing to say on the subject.  I was a kid staying home from school sick, watching the TV the day he gave his "I have a dream speech", and watched it.  I don't think that he'd be happy with what that "movement" has degenerated into, but that's just me.

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The Old Testament reading is chapters 42 and 43 in the Genesis.  Joseph is in Egypt, and in a very powerful position.  His brothers, the same ones who sold him into slavery, have come calling, in a desperate move.  Joseph is in a position to help, courtesy of the Lord's plan and their own bad actions.  Odd, huh?  It works out.




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The New Testament reading is verses 33-58 in chapter 13 of the Gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 13:33-58  Back to Top

33	Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
34	All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
35	That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
36	Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
37	He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
38	The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
39	The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
40	As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
41	The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
42	And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43	Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
44	Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
45	Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
46	Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
47	Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
48	Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.
49	So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
50	And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
51	Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.
52	Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.
53	And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.
54	And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?
55	Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
56	And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?
57	And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
58	And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Sunday, 17 January 2016

There are many good things (I guess) about living where we now do.  We have family nearby, and friends from the times we were yet small kids, and (some) of the sights and institutions that were part of our earlier years.  Many good things.  But weather is not one of them.  It's supposed to go to around +5 degrees tonight, with high and gusting winds that will have wind chills WELL below zero.  That condition is expected to last most of the coming week, then a VERY short break, and probably a return to it thereafter.   We still have two weeks of January left, and then all of February (which around here is frequently worse) and March is no picnic either.  Easy to become discouraged, particularly when I note that our former homes in places like Alabama, Tennessee, and Arkansas will be seeing temps this week in the 60's, mid 50's , and high 40's.  When I came out of church this morning, it was snowing, had been for a while, and did so All Day Long.  Still is.  Some people love it.  Not me!
Courtesy of some of the foolishness that the "greenies" have forced upon the world, despite wonderful advances is natural gas recovery and technology, the cost of things like heat (very important in near-zero weather) and food, have conspired to guarantee that there are and will be people who will die this week of cold and/or hunger.  I do not wish to get into the mindset or the language that seems appropriate to react fully to the enviro-nazi greenie movement of self-assured imbeciles.  But it wouldn't be nice or kind.

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The Old Testament reading is chapter 41 of the Genesis.  Joseph is in Egypt now, "courtesy" of his less than honorable brothers.  Has gone through some "stuff".  Now he's coming to the fore.  The Lord had a plan.

Genesis 41

1	And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.
2	And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favored kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow.
3	And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favored and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river.
4	And the ill favored and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favored and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke.
5	And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good.
6	And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them.
7	And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream.
8	And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.
9	Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day:
10	Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guard's house, both me and the chief baker:
11	And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream.
12	And there was there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret.
13	And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged.
14	Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.
15	And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it.
16	And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.
17	And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river:
18	And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favored; and they fed in a meadow:
19	And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favored and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness:
20	And the lean and the ill favored kine did eat up the first seven fat kine:
21	And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill favored, as at the beginning. So I awoke.
22	And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good:
23	And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them:
24	And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told this unto the magicians; but there was none that could declare it to me.
25	And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath showed Pharaoh what he is about to do.
26	The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.
27	And the seven thin and ill favored kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine.
28	This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he showeth unto Pharaoh.
29	Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:
30	And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land;
31	And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous.
32	And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
33	Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.
34	Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.
35	And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.
36	And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.
37	And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.
38	And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?
39	And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath showed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:
40	Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.
41	And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.
42	And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;
43	And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.
44	And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.
45	And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.
46	And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.
47	And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.
48	And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.
49	And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number.
50	And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him.
51	And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house.
52	And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.
53	And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.
54	And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
55	And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.
56	And the famine was over all the face of the earth: and Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.
57	And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.

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The New Testament reading is verses 1-32 in the 13th chapter in the Gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 13:1-32

1	The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
2	And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
3	And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
4	And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
5	Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
6	And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
7	And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
8	But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
9	Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10	And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
11	He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
12	For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
13	Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
14	And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15	For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
16	But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
17	For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
18	Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
19	When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
20	But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
21	Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
22	He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
23	But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
24	Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
25	But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
26	But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
27	So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
28	He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
29	But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
30	Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
31	Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:
32	Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

Today's Readings and Stuff == Tuesday, 21 January 2014

Today and the rest of this week will be cold, VERY cold by the standards of someone who'd lived in the South for more than 20 years as we have done.  Highs are predicted to be in the teens all week, and lows barely above zero.  By the normal winter experience in Upper Peninsula Michigan, it might not be bad.  By the standards of Lower Alabama or even eastern Tennessee or western Arkansas, it is frigid and awful.  Our little hovel is not as well insulated or heated as I hope to make it, but it's the best I could do under our financial constraints.  Still waiting on some money to come in but can't spend what you don't have and we don't have.  So we'll wear sweatsuits etc. around the house for a few days and hope the pipes don't burst.  Dear Wife will be next door with beloved grand-niece again today, and that is a warmer place than here, so that helps for one day.  We will be grateful for it, a day at a time.  Already it's nearing the end of January, so we have hope that some day it will be warmer than today and that the sun will shun longer than it does now.  Picking up a good minute of daylight every day, and that adds up.  Slowly, but surely.

Had recruiters calling and e-mailing me yesterday.  One had a nice opportunity in northern Florida.  Would have been nice, and a good fit, but just can't.  Gave the recruiter some names to contact.  One has a position about an hour from here, long commute but doable I guess.  A few others that aren't that far off.  We shall see.

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This is the last day that our reading has us in the Genesis.  A lot has gone on in these pages in jsut three weeks.  From the point that the Lord invents light, creates the world and the stars and planets, to the creation of all living things and then humans.  And then sin enters the world.  Sometimes I feel like I am just sensing the edge of what the Lord is up to.  He had to know what would happen, yet He did it anyway.  I don't think He was surprised.  So there is more to this than I see, and I have to trust Him and His heart, even though I don't understand.  The belief is that some day I might understand His plan. 
Here we see part of His plan working out.  We began this particular section with Jacob/Israel and his sons by various wives, and the tensions from that, and Joseph taking the hit and being sold into slavery and far-off exile by his own brothers.  And yet, we see in the last few days that this provided a means to rescue the family from famine, and nothing else could have done so.  Now we see Israel reunited with his long-lost son, and passing in peace.  And now the rest of the story.  Joseph had the power and certainly sufficient motive, he could have slaughtered them with a word.  Didn't.  Carried out the Lord's plan instead.
So now, chapters 49 and 50 of the Genesis.

Genesis 49

1	And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.
2	Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.
3	Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:
4	Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.
5	Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.
6	O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honor, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their self-will they digged down a wall.
7	Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.
8	Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee.
9	Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?
10	The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
11	Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes:
12	His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.
13	Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon.
14	Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens:
15	And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute.
16	Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.
17	Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.
18	I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD.
19	Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last.
20	Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties.
21	Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words.
22	Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:
23	The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:
24	But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)
25	Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:
26	The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.
27	Benjamin shall raven as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.
28	All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them.
29	And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,
30	In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace.
31	There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.
32	The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth.
33	And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.

Genesis 50

1	And Joseph fell upon his father's face, and wept upon him, and kissed him.
2	And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel.
3	And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed: and the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten days.
4	And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found grace in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying,
5	My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come again.
6	And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear.
7	And Joseph went up to bury his father: and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt,
8	And all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father's house: only their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen.
9	And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen: and it was a very great company.
10	And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days.
11	And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians: wherefore the name of it was called Abelmizraim, which is beyond Jordan.
12	And his sons did unto him according as he commanded them:
13	For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a buryingplace of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre.
14	And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.
15	And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him.
16	And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying,
17	So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.
18	And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.
19	And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?
20	But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
21	Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.
22	And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father's house: and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years.
23	And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation: the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph's knees.
24	And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
25	And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.
26	So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

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The New Testament passage is verses 1-20 of Matthew 15.  I don't think Jesus is making friends with the religious leaders of the day.  I don't think that was His intent either.

Matthew 15:1-20

1	Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
2	Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
3	But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
4	For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
5	But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;
6	And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
7	Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
8	This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
9	But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
10	And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:
11	Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
12	Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
13	But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
14	Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
15	Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.
16	And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?
17	Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
18	But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
19	For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
20	These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Monday, 20 January, 2014

and so begins another regular week.  We stayed home yesterday, Dear Wife still dealing with the systemic effects of the chemotherapy drug that she took Friday.  She's doing better today, but Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were rough.  Started feeling a bit better last evening.  She's heading over next door to "watch" greatly beloved grand-niece as niece and her husband are both working today.  Niece only works a few days a week now, since having the baby more than a year ago.  A bit of a hit for them financially, but since Wife is doing the "watching" for free, it's not as bad as it is for some who are paying for child care.  Works out all around, and Wife loves it.  Does not seem likely we will ever have grandchildren, which given the state of the world and my analysis of visible trends, may be just as well.  So we enjoy the moment that the Lord has given us.
Was a quiet weekend.  We're busted broke again.  My monthly retirement check came in Tuesday, and by Wednesday morning we were down to about $16 to last until this time next month.  Of course, if/when Wife's LONG-delayed Disability check gets here, that should change.  But we as of yet hav no idea whatsoever when that will be.  Might be today.  Might be in May.  Don't know, and can't seem to find out.  Would be nice, very.  We could certainly use it.  Like today.  Should be good on food for the month, though we might end up living on rice and oatmeal and the like.  Electric and water bills got paid and phone too.  But it left $16.
Had heard from an old friend's family.  Dear, dear people, have missed them very greatly.  Daughter and her husband and their daughter were to fly in from FAR out of town on Friday evening, supposed to fly back out tonight or tomorrow afternoon.  She'd been talking about bringing her dad and her husband and daughter over to see us.  She was like a little sister to me when she was growing up, but I've not seen her since around 1991 and not seen her dad, my friend, since 2011, around the time my dad was passing.  But I never heard from them and while I left e-mail messages, I don't have a phone number to connect directly.  So it will have to wait until another time I guess.
When we made this move, these major changes in our life and our situation, we did so in full confidence that this is what the Lord has directed us to do.  As I told the church, this is not a retreat, it's an advance into a new area.  I believed that then.  I still do.  But I don't wait very well.  Had some dreams Saturday night that were reassuring on this score, but I do admit to hoping that we see more clearly what is in store, and that soon.
Which ties in somewhat with the readings.


The Old Testament passage for the day is chapters 46, 47, and 48 of the Genesis.  One more day in Genesis, by the way.
Way back when, Joseph was sent off as a captive slave to Egypt to get out of his brothers' way.  Not good.  Except that he remained faithful to the Lord despite the circumstances, and the Lord used him and is still using him in this section.  Using him in ways that could never have been imagined, really, and accomplishing something that could probably have been done in no other way.  Just as was prophesied, too.  Now it's coming to a head, at least the part involving Joseph and the story of Jacob/Israel and refuge in Egypt.  Isaac is pacing up everything he has and moving.  I've done that a couple of times, it's not easy, believe me.  But he does.  Going to go see a miracle, the son he's long thought dead is waiting for him.  He'll meet the Lord on the way.  And after that, his son. And Pharaoh.  And they'll end up in a part of Egypt called Goshen.  Lots of big changes in the works, and the Lord knew all of it a long time previous.  He's got this.
It reassures me when I don't see the purpose of what I may be going through, and am tempted to think that the Lord does not know, or does not care.  Neither is true, but sometimes it feels that way.  A lousy feeling, to be sure.

Genesis 46

1	And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac.
2	And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I.
3	And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation:
4	I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.
5	And Jacob rose up from Beersheba: and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.
6	And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him:
7	His sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt.
8	And these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn.
9	And the sons of Reuben; Hanoch, and Phallu, and Hezron, and Carmi.
10	And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman.
11	And the sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
12	And the sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah, and Pharez, and Zarah: but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. And the sons of Pharez were Hezron and Hamul.
13	And the sons of Issachar; Tola, and Phuvah, and Job, and Shimron.
14	And the sons of Zebulun; Sered, and Elon, and Jahleel.
15	These be the sons of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob in Padanaram, with his daughter Dinah: all the souls of his sons and his daughters were thirty and three.
16	And the sons of Gad; Ziphion, and Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri, and Arodi, and Areli.
17	And the sons of Asher; Jimnah, and Ishuah, and Isui, and Beriah, and Serah their sister: and the sons of Beriah; Heber, and Malchiel.
18	These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter, and these she bare unto Jacob, even sixteen souls.
19	The sons of Rachel Jacob's wife; Joseph, and Benjamin.
20	And unto Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him.
21	And the sons of Benjamin were Belah, and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and Ard.
22	These are the sons of Rachel, which were born to Jacob: all the souls were fourteen.
23	And the sons of Dan; Hushim.
24	And the sons of Naphtali; Jahzeel, and Guni, and Jezer, and Shillem.
25	These are the sons of Bilhah, which Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter, and she bare these unto Jacob: all the souls were seven.
26	All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of his loins, besides Jacob's sons' wives, all the souls were threescore and six;
27	And the sons of Joseph, which were born him in Egypt, were two souls: all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, were threescore and ten.
28	And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen.
29	And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.
30	And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.
31	And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father's house, I will go up, and show Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my father's house, which were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me;
32	And the men are shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.
33	And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation?
34	That ye shall say, Thy servants' trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.

Genesis 47

1	Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen.
2	And he took some of his brethren, even five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh.
3	And Pharaoh said unto his brethren, What is your occupation? And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers.
4	They said moreover unto Pharaoh, For to sojourn in the land are we come; for thy servants have no pasture for their flocks; for the famine is sore in the land of Canaan: now therefore, we pray thee, let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen.
5	And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying, Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee:
6	The land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell: and if thou knowest any men of activity among them, then make them rulers over my cattle.
7	And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.
8	And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou?
9	And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.
10	And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.
11	And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.
12	And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father's household, with bread, according to their families.
13	And there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very sore, so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine.
14	And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house.
15	And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth.
16	And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail.
17	And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year.
18	When that year was ended, they came unto him the second year, and said unto him, We will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not ought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands:
19	Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, that the land be not desolate.
20	And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the land became Pharaoh's.
21	And as for the people, he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof.
22	Only the land of the priests bought he not; for the priests had a portion assigned them of Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them: wherefore they sold not their lands.
23	Then Joseph said unto the people, Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh: lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the land.
24	And it shall come to pass in the increase, that ye shall give the fifth part unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for them of your households, and for food for your little ones.
25	And they said, Thou hast saved our lives: let us find grace in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh's servants.
26	And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth part, except the land of the priests only, which became not Pharaoh's.
27	And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly.
28	And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years.
29	And the time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt:
30	But I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their buryingplace. And he said, I will do as thou hast said.
31	And he said, Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed's head.

Genesis 48

1	And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
2	And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.
3	And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,
4	And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.
5	And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.
6	And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance.
7	And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same is Bethlehem.
8	And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who are these?
9	And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them.
10	Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.
11	And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath showed me also thy seed.
12	And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.
13	And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near unto him.
14	And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn.
15	And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day,
16	The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.
17	And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head.
18	And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.
19	And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.
20	And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.
21	And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers.
22	Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.

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The New Testament passage is verses 22-36 in the 14th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew.
We think we have storms in life.  This is an account of being on a boat, in a storm, and Jesus not only not worried, but walking on the water.  I think He's bigger than the issue of the moment, and can do things we could not have imagined.  True?

Matthew 14:22-36

22	And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.
23	And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
24	But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
25	And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
26	And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
27	But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
28	And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
29	And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
30	But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
31	And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
32	And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.
33	Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
34	And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret.
35	And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased;
36	And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.