Today's Readings and Stuff --- Saturday, 25 January, 2014

another week drawing to a close, this being the last Saturday in January.  A bit, a small bit but a real one, closer to the end of the cold weather.  Still lots of it to go -- the last prediction that I saw foretells a HIGH on Tuesday of +2 degrees and a low around -10 degrees.  Yesterday at 9:17 it was showing as -2 degrees.  Not happy, no I am not.  COLD here.  We had the cold water to the kitchen sink freeze for a few hours yesterday afternoon though it did later break free.  We try to leave the taps dripping, but that faucet is a bit funky.  Anyway, we are just hanging on.  And, as before, we STILL have hard nothing back from the Dentist's office about fitting Dear Wife into the schedule.  She's in awful pain, it looks as if one of her several broken teeth has permitted an infection to develop in the jaw bone beneath.  We had some antibiotic pills on hand -- due to her rheumatic fever history, we stock them as a just in case, and a good thing we did.  But we have yet to receive penny #1 from her SSDI Disability payout that is now nearly two  years into the process and around three months after the time we were notified -- finally -- that her application had finally been approved with a start date back in mid-2012. And around a month after we were advised of the amount of the monthly check.  Which we still don't have.  I have $16 and some loose change to last until the 3rd week of February, we are out of milk and eggs and about out of break and butter and dry cat food.  I can stretch a dollar, but there are limits even for me.  And that doesn't include what we have to come up for co-pay for the Dentist or any meds that might be required after that.  We have an initial appointment with a primary care physician set for about the day before our retirement check should hit, and after that we'll need to be re-filling her prescriptions -- she'd squirreled a lot away, which is how we've gotten through so far, with only a couple visits to the pharmacy to fill some scrips that we had transferred to a local pill-roller.
So we do understand difficulties.
I had a couple calls this week from headhunters this week, but either they were for postings half way across the country, or for roles I am ill-suited to fill, or the like.  Was getting ready to send in apps to Wal-Mart, then saw that their Sam's Club operation is in the process of dumping some 2,000 people, and they'll certainly have a leg up for a transfer to the Walmart division, as they should.  And IBM is preparing to dump a few thousand more.  Which is separate from the downsizing at Sears, J.C. Penney, et al,  Next time someone tells you that the economy is recovering, you may want to let him speak to these displaced people.  Then duck!
Some day we'll look back on this time and smile at how worried we were.  But probably not today.

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Getting through times when nothing seems to work seems to be a common theme in Scripture.  Case in point:  Moses, having gotten some very specific instructions directly from the Lord, is taking the "let my people go!" message directly to the face of Pharaoh.  And the message is being reinforced by the successive plagues on the land.  To no real avail.  The plagues are getting more dramatic, and by their very nature are showing the folly of the Egyptian trust in their pantheon of gods who were thought to be in charge of these various aspects of the world.  Sun god?  Darkness.  Got of the Nile?  Blood.  A pattern here.  At the end of this passage, Pharaoh still says no.  Our God is a God of second chances.  Pharaoh has had more than a few chances.  What happens next will show the folly of pride and rejection of the Lord.  And the world is a different place because of it.

Exodus 9

1	Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, “Let my people go, that they may serve me.
2	“‘“For if you refuse to let them go and still hold them,
3	“‘“behold, the hand of the Lord will fall with a very severe plague upon your livestock that are in the field, the horses, the donkeys, the camels, the herds, and the flocks.
4	“‘“But the Lord will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that nothing of all that belongs to the people of Israel shall die.”’”
5	And the Lord set a time, saying, “Tomorrow the Lord will do this thing in the land.”
6	And the next day the Lord did this thing. All the livestock of the Egyptians died, but not one of the livestock of the people of Israel died.
7	And Pharaoh sent, and behold, not one of the livestock of Israel was dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.
8	And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Take handfuls of soot from the kiln, and let Moses throw them in the air in the sight of Pharaoh.
9	“It shall become fine dust over all the land of Egypt, and become boils breaking out in sores on man and beast throughout all the land of Egypt.”
10	So they took soot from the kiln and stood before Pharaoh. And Moses threw it in the air, and it became boils breaking out in sores on man and beast.
11	And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils came upon the magicians and upon all the Egyptians.
12	But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not listen to them, as the Lord had spoken to Moses.
13	Then the Lord said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning and present yourself before Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, “Let my people go, that they may serve me.
14	“‘“For this time I will send all my plagues on you yourself, and on your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth.
15	“‘“For by now I could have put out my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth.
16	“‘“But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.
17	“‘“You are still exalting yourself against my people and will not let them go.
18	“‘“Behold, about this time tomorrow I will cause very heavy hail to fall, such as never has been in Egypt from the day it was founded until now.
19	“‘“Now therefore send, get your livestock and all that you have in the field into safe shelter, for every man and beast that is in the field and is not brought home will die when the hail falls on them.”’”
20	Then whoever feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh hurried his slaves and his livestock into the houses,
21	but whoever did not pay attention to the word of the Lord left his slaves and his livestock in the field.
22	Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, so that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, on man and beast and every plant of the field, in the land of Egypt.”
23	Then Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven, and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and fire ran down to the earth. And the Lord rained hail upon the land of Egypt.
24	There was hail and fire flashing continually in the midst of the hail, very heavy hail, such as had never been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.
25	The hail struck down everything that was in the field in all the land of Egypt, both man and beast. And the hail struck down every plant of the field and broke every tree of the field.
26	Only in the land of Goshen, where the people of Israel were, was there no hail.
27	Then Pharaoh sent and called Moses and Aaron and said to them, “This time I have sinned; the Lord is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong.
28	“Plead with the Lord, for there has been enough of God’s thunder and hail. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.”
29	Moses said to him, “As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will stretch out my hands to the Lord. The thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, so that you may know that the earth is the Lord’s.
30	“But as for you and your servants, I know that you do not yet fear the Lord God.”
31	(The flax and the barley were struck down, for the barley was in the ear and the flax was in bud.
32	But the wheat and the emmer were not struck down, for they are late in coming up.)
33	So Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh and stretched out his hands to the Lord, and the thunder and the hail ceased, and the rain no longer poured upon the earth.
34	But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet again and hardened his heart, he and his servants.
35	So the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people of Israel go, just as the Lord had spoken through Moses.

Exodus 10

1	Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these signs of mine among them,
2	“and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and of your grandson how I have dealt harshly with the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them, that you may know that I am the Lord.”
3	So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me.
4	“‘For if you refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country,
5	“‘and they shall cover the face of the land, so that no one can see the land. And they shall eat what is left to you after the hail, and they shall eat every tree of yours that grows in the field,
6	“‘and they shall fill your houses and the houses of all your servants and of all the Egyptians, as neither your fathers nor your grandfathers have seen, from the day they came on earth to this day.’” Then he turned and went out from Pharaoh.
7	Then Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God. Do you not yet understand that Egypt is ruined?”
8	So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. And he said to them, “Go, serve the Lord your God. But which ones are to go?”
9	Moses said, “We will go with our young and our old. We will go with our sons and daughters and with our flocks and herds, for we must hold a feast to the Lord.”
10	But he said to them, “The Lord be with you, if ever I let you and your little ones go! Look, you have some evil purpose in mind.
11	“No! Go, the men among you, and serve the Lord, for that is what you are asking.” And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.
12	Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, so that they may come upon the land of Egypt and eat every plant in the land, all that the hail has left.”
13	So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the Lord brought an east wind upon the land all that day and all that night. When it was morning, the east wind had brought the locusts.
14	The locusts came up over all the land of Egypt and settled on the whole country of Egypt, such a dense swarm of locusts as had never been before, nor ever will be again.
15	They covered the face of the whole land, so that the land was darkened, and they ate all the plants in the land and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left. Not a green thing remained, neither tree nor plant of the field, through all the land of Egypt.
16	Then Pharaoh hastily called Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you.
17	“Now therefore, forgive my sin, please, only this once, and plead with the Lord your God only to remove this death from me.”
18	So he went out from Pharaoh and pleaded with the Lord.
19	And the Lord turned the wind into a very strong west wind, which lifted the locusts and drove them into the Red Sea. Not a single locust was left in all the country of Egypt.
20	But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go.
21	Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt.”
22	So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was pitch darkness in all the land of Egypt three days.
23	They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days, but all the people of Israel had light where they lived.
24	Then Pharaoh called Moses and said, “Go, serve the Lord; your little ones also may go with you; only let your flocks and your herds remain behind.”
25	But Moses said, “You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.
26	“Our livestock also must go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we must take of them to serve the Lord our God, and we do not know with what we must serve the Lord until we arrive there.”
27	But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go.
28	Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me; take care never to see my face again, for on the day you see my face you shall die.”
29	Moses said, “As you say! I will not see your face again.”

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The New Testament passage is verses 1-20 in the 18th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew.  Jesus is doing some advanced teaching here.  He knew what was coming in the very near future, though the Apostles did not.  I'm sure that in future years, they looked back on this period and His words with an "Aha!  NOW I see!" attitude.

Matthew 18:1-20

1	At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
2	And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them
3	and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
4	“Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5	“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me,
6	“but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
7	“Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes!
8	“And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire.
9	“And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.
10	“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
11	“For the Son of Man came to save the lost.
12	“What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?
13	“And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.
14	“So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
15	“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.
16	“But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.
17	“If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
18	“Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
19	“Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
20	“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

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Today's Readings and Stuff -- Friday, 24 January, 2014

We are still in a deep freeze here, a condition expected to be with us until Wednesday next.  A couple days are predicted to have single-digit highs, and lows well below zero.  And a snow storm is predicted to be arriving here any moment and to dump more than half a foot of snow on us.  I have been through worse, but that was around 1978 or so, around 35 years ago.  I was, obviously 35 years younger than I am now.  Have reached the point in life where it matters. 

And Dear Wife is ill.  Quite.We've been jacked around by the Social Security people, in the one matter is has now been more than two years.  The result is that, while she's been put on Medicaid now, we STILL have not received penny #1 for the back Disability payments.  I have $16 to last the next 3 weeks.  If/when the back payments arrive, it should come to over two thousand dollars, possibly more, which would cover the dentist's payments, any meds needed, some long-delayed pharmacy refills.  And some time in the grocery.  We're out of eggs, about out of break, out of oleo and butter both, out of milk.  And other items as well.  We have enough rice and couscous and rolled oats to last the next few weeks.  Not a great diet, but I've lived on less.  But with her conditions, it's not a good thing.  And the cats are going to be getting hungry in another few days - about out of cat food.

She has what is probably a version of flu.  She also has half a dozen broken teeth, and probably has an infection in one of the stubs.  And is in pain, the sort of pain most of us know from toothaches.  She spent yesterday morning trying to find a dentist who would accept a new Medicaid patient.  Found one, they are trying to find a slot in the schedule to fit her in.  The office is located about 10 minutes from here, and Wife's niece from next door spoke very highly of two dentists there.  Now if we can only get her in.  Breaks my heart to see her in pain and misery.  What little she ate, came back up.  Makes it tough.

Had some calls from recruiters yesterday, some very interesting potentials.  All hundreds of miles away.  One is in the general area of St. Louis, another in the Covington, Kentucky - Cincinnati, Ohio area.  We're located a bit southeast of Cleveland, this is just more of a commute than I can do.  The $75,000 salary is very tempting, but I just can not move.  So we are believing that the Lord allowed them as a window into what is out there, but not a door to walk through.  He has something for us, just don't know what, yet.  Hanging on.

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The Old Testament reading is chapters 7 and 8 in the Exodus.  The plagues begin.

Exodus 7

1	And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.
2	Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land.
3	And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.
4	But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.
5	And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.
6	And Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded them, so did they.
7	And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh.
8	And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
9	When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Show a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent.
10	And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent.
11	Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.
12	For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.
13	And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
14	And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh's heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go.
15	Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the river's brink against he come; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand.
16	And thou shalt say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear.
17	Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.
18	And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall loathe to drink of the water of the river.
19	And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone.
20	And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.
21	And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.
22	And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the LORD had said.
23	And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also.
24	And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river.
25	And seven days were fulfilled, after that the LORD had smitten the river.

Exodus 8

1	And the LORD spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
2	And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs:
3	And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into thine house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thine ovens, and into thy kneadingtroughs:
4	And the frogs shall come up both on thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants.
5	And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt.
6	And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.
7	And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt.
8	Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Entreat the LORD, that he may take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the LORD.
9	And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Glory over me: when shall I entreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses, that they may remain in the river only?
10	And he said, To morrow. And he said, Be it according to thy word: that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the LORD our God.
11	And the frogs shall depart from thee, and from thy houses, and from thy servants, and from thy people; they shall remain in the river only.
12	And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh: and Moses cried unto the LORD because of the frogs which he had brought against Pharaoh.
13	And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the villages, and out of the fields.
14	And they gathered them together upon heaps: and the land stank.
15	But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
16	And the LORD said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
17	And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
18	And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast.
19	Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
20	And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water; and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
21	Else, if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are.
22	And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth.
23	And I will put a division between my people and thy people: to morrow shall this sign be.
24	And the LORD did so; and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants' houses, and into all the land of Egypt: the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies.
25	And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land.
26	And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us?
27	We will go three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD our God, as he shall command us.
28	And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away: entreat for me.
29	And Moses said, Behold, I go out from thee, and I will entreat the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, to morrow: but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.
30	And Moses went out from Pharaoh, and entreated the LORD.
31	And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; there remained not one.
32	And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go.

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The New Testament reading today is chapter 17 in the Gospel of Matthew.  Things are getting a bit intense.  Lots here, beginning with the Transfiguration.

Matthew 17

1	And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
2	And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
3	And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.
4	Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
5	While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
6	And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.
7	And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.
8	And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.
9	And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.
10	And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?
11	And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.
12	But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.
13	Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.
14	And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,
15	Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.
16	And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
17	Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.
18	And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
19	Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
20	And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
21	Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
22	And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:
23	And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.
24	And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?
25	He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?
26	Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.
27	Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.

Today's Readings and Stuff --- Thursday, 23 January, 2014

Thursday, and it's bloody cold here.  Yesterday when I woke, it was four below zero here.  It's a smidgen higher (won't say "warmer") this morning, but not exactly warm.  I'm ready for Spring, and we're only a month into Winter.  And while the days are getting longer, it's only about a minute of daylight per day, and that translates to a bit under 30 minutes gained since a month ago.  Not enough to make any difference and the sun is still down near the southern tropic line, not the northern one.  We won't see much real weather change until mid-March probably.  I can recall one year when I was quite small, and it snowed in the first week of May.  Don't expect that this year, but I don't think that we would have expected it then if we'd looked forward in late January.  So we shall see.  Right now, Global Warming seems like a real good idea.  Too bad it's nonsense.

Dear Wife was ill yesterday, more so as the afternoon and early evening came on.  I think she's coming down with something, of some sort.  She's received a Medicaid card in the mail so has some coverage.  I may end up having to try to find a clinic to take her to this morning.  I know she spent time on phone yesterday arranging some sort of  'managed care' arrangement for us, and we have an appointment with a primary care physician in the area for mid-February.  We shall see.  She was also setting up something with a dental deal as well.  She has several broken teeth and is having trouble chewing anything.  I have three broken ones myself, and am not much better off.  Lord willing, some of these matters can be addressed.

Still talking with recruiters.  As mentioned before, I've been working for a paycheck since back in 1969, a very long time, and am most comfortable paying my own way.  Relying on the State and the kindness of others just isn't me.  But I've not been able to find something anywhere near here that is a fit.  Had a back-and forth with one that got us discussing an interesting opportunity, but it would require around 3 hours of driving back and forth every day.  My car is 14 years old and has 212,000 miles on it, and the mileage is not the best.  I'd be better off stocking shelves at the Big Box store 5 miles away part time.  Could keep my retirement check and she'd still get her Medicare.  Yes, we are in one of those cohorts in a weird gap situation.  Not alone, but that's cold comfort.  The Lord has something in mind for us, just don't know what it is, yet.

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The Old Testament reading for the day is chapters 4, 5, 6 of the Exodus.  Imagine the heartbreak of Moses' mother as she, having dodged Pharaoh's orders that ALL the Hebrew boy babies be killed, set him into a basket on the Nile for his own safety.  Imagine her amazement when Pharaoh's own daughter paid her to nurse her own son, and to see him placed in Pharaoh's own household.  Now see Moses, back from hiding out, going into the palace and delivering the Lord's message, "let MY people go!".   The Lord works in strange ways, and I've learned that the words 'impossible' and "can't" really should not be used about Him.  He is able!  Watch.  The world is different today because Moses was obedient then.  Don't make the mistake that even Moses made, that the Lord can't use you too.  I keep relearning that one myself.

Exodus 4

1	And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.
2	And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.
3	And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.
4	And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:
5	That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.
6	And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow.
7	And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh.
8	And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.
9	And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.
10	And Moses said unto the LORD, O my LORD, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
11	And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?
12	Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.
13	And he said, O my LORD, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.
14	And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.
15	And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.
16	And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.
17	And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.
18	And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.
19	And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life.
20	And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.
21	And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.
22	And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:
23	And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.
24	And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him.
25	Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.
26	So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision.
27	And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him.
28	And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him.
29	And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel:
30	And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.
31	And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.

Exodus 5

1	And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.
2	And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.
3	And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.
4	And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.
5	And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens.
6	And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,
7	Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.
8	And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.
9	Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labor therein; and let them not regard vain words.
10	And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw.
11	Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished.
12	So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.
13	And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw.
14	And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore?
15	Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants?
16	There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault is in thine own people.
17	But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD.
18	Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.
19	And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, after it was said, Ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your daily task.
20	And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh:
21	And they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savor to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.
22	And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, LORD, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?
23	For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.

Exodus 6

1	Then the LORD said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land.
2	And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD:
3	And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.
4	And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.
5	And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant.
6	Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:
7	And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
8	And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD.
9	And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.
10	And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
11	Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land.
12	And Moses spake before the LORD, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips?
13	And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.
14	These be the heads of their fathers' houses: The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel; Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi: these be the families of Reuben.
15	And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman: these are the families of Simeon.
16	And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari: and the years of the life of Levi were an hundred thirty and seven years.
17	The sons of Gershon; Libni, and Shimi, according to their families.
18	And the sons of Kohath; Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel: and the years of the life of Kohath were an hundred thirty and three years.
19	And the sons of Merari; Mahali and Mushi: these are the families of Levi according to their generations.
20	And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years.
21	And the sons of Izhar; Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri.
22	And the sons of Uzziel; Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Zithri.
23	And Aaron took him Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Naashon, to wife; and she bare him Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
24	And the sons of Korah; Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these are the families of the Korhites.
25	And Eleazar Aaron's son took him one of the daughters of Putiel to wife; and she bare him Phinehas: these are the heads of the fathers of the Levites according to their families.
26	These are that Aaron and Moses, to whom the LORD said, Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies.
27	These are they which spake to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt: these are that Moses and Aaron.
28	And it came to pass on the day when the LORD spake unto Moses in the land of Egypt,
29	That the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, I am the LORD: speak thou unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say unto thee.
30	And Moses said before the LORD, Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me?

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The New Teestament passage is chapter 16 from the Gospel of Matthew.  This contains one of those questions that Jesus asked them, but we have to answer ourselves, individually, as well.  "Who do YOU say that I am?"  It's one of those critical questions that affects our life on this earth and our eternal situation too.  Answer well.  It matters.  Know that in so doing, not all the immediate results will be enjoyable.  There's a cost, too.  It's worth it. 

Matthew 16

1	The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
2	He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
3	And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
4	A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.
5	And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.
6	Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
7	And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.
8	Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?
9	Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
10	Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
11	How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?
12	Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
13	When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
14	And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
15	He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
16	And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
17	And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
18	And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19	And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
20	Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
21	From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
22	Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
23	But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
24	Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
25	For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
26	For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
27	For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
28	Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.