Today's Readings and Stuff -- Monday, 14 April, 2014

and so it begins again.  Dear Wife is detailed next door to "watch" beloved grand-niece as niece is off to one of her three days per week work schedule.  I have work to do around here in her absence.  And I'm not in great shape myself.  A few weeks ago, dentist did a root canal on an upper bicuspid and filled in the hole with some sort of temporary filling.  Yeah, real temporary.  Fell out the same night.  so, last Monday, back in, they ground on the stub a bit and put in another temporary, to be dealt with in an appointment last Friday morning.  We got call Friday morning first thing that a major catastrophic equipment failure had occurred in new (less than 6-months-old) central air system, and even the new parts weren't due until Wednesday, meaning two days from now.  Consequently, all appointments were cancelled and everything is rescheduled.  My appointment for last Friday is now set for the Friday after next.  Which should be no problem, except that the new "temporary" filling, the one that replaced the old "temporary", fell out this morning.  No pain, but probably not a good idea to have an open path from the mouth to the skull.  So I'll call the dentist this morning to advise of situation.  Not much they can do under the circumstances, but need to let them know.

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The Old Testament reading before us is chapters 15 and 16 of 1st Samuel.   Saul is king.  Through Samuel, the Lord had warned the people of the dangers of seeking a king in order to be just like their neighbors.  They did not listen, and the warnings are proving out.  Saul is going down the wrong path, fast.  Can't go on that way, and it won't.  We see here the first mention of David. 

I Samuel 15

1	Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD.
2	Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.
3	Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.
4	And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.
5	And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.
6	And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye showed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.
7	And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt.
8	And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.
9	But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
10	Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying,
11	It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.
12	And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a place, and is gone about, and passed on, and gone down to Gilgal.
13	And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD.
14	And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?
15	And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.
16	Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.
17	And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?
18	And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.
19	Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?
20	And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
21	But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.
22	And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
23	For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
24	And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.
25	Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD.
26	And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.
27	And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent.
28	And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbor of thine, that is better than thou.
29	And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.
30	Then he said, I have sinned: yet honor me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD thy God.
31	So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped the LORD.
32	Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past.
33	And Samuel said, As the sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.
34	Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul.
35	And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.

I Samuel 16

1	And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.
2	And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD.
3	And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.
4	And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?
5	And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
6	And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD's anointed is before him.
7	But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
8	Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.
9	Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.
10	Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.
11	And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.
12	And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.
13	Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
14	But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.
15	And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.
16	Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.
17	And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.
18	Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.
19	Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.
20	And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.
21	And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.
22	And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favor in my sight.
23	And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

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The New Testament reading is verses 25-35 in Luke 14.

Luke 14:25-35

25	And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,
26	If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
27	And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
28	For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
29	Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
30	Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
31	Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
32	Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.
33	So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
34	Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?
35	It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.