Today's Readings and Stuff -- Monday, 28 July 2014

it's chilly here today!!  High temp for the day was predicted at around 68 degrees.  The high.  It may be that per the thermometer, but the rainstorms and wind have combined to make it feel a whole lot colder than that.    And the cats very definitely do not approve of thunderstorms.  At all.  And anothr batch is hitting right this moment.  Curtains are blowing around that the blinds are smacking the window panes.
Dear Wife has a colonscopy scheduled for the morning.  I've not been around such things before, and have one set for me for Thursday.  Dear Wife is having to take all these vile concoctions to "clean out the system", so the bathroom is seeing a lot of use today.  And probably will until we leave for the testing center in the morning.  Hard to be positive and cheerful under such less-than-great stimuli. 
As  I watch, I realize my condition in two days will be much the same.
I just don't feel all that eloquent today.

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The Old Testament reading is Psalms 53, 54, and 55

Psalm 53 

1	The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.
2	God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.
3	Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
4	Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread: they have not called upon God.
5	There were they in great fear, where no fear was: for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee: thou hast put them to shame, because God hath despised them.
6	Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

Psalm 54 

1	Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength.
2	Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.
3	For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah.
4	Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.
5	He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth.
6	I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O LORD; for it is good.
7	For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies.

Psalm 55 

1	Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.
2	Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise;
3	Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me.
4	My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
5	Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.
6	And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest.
7	Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah.
8	I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.
9	Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
10	Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it.
11	Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets.
12	For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him:
13	But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.
14	We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.
15	Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.
16	As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.
17	Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.
18	He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.
19	God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.
20	He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant.
21	The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.
22	Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
23	But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.

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The New Testament reading is verses 26-44 of the 27th chapter of the Acts

Acts 27:26-44

26	Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.
27	But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country;
28	And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms.
29	Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.
30	And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship,
31	Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.
32	Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.
33	And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing.
34	Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you.
35	And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.
36	Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.
37	And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.
38	And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea.
39	And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship.
40	And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore.
41	And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.
42	And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.
43	But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:
44	And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Sunday, 27 July 2014

quite a day.
Dear Wife remains ill and not up to much.  I went off to church services this morning alone, again.
And we are in the midst of severe thunderstorms, tornado watches and warnings, and a downpour.  Saw photo out of the Cleveland area of roadway under I-480 having drowned cars in it, and a roadway about 15 miles from here where the rushing waters took out about 8 feet of roadway when creek waters overwhelmed the culvert beneath.  That road will likely be closed for months, which will be a pain, particularly with school starting soon - bus routes will be affected.  I understand parts of the Cleveland area had more than 4 inches of water in an hour.  You just do not design storm drainage systems with that amount of over-capacity.  So the water rising is not surprising though it's aggravating to all.  And we're under tornado watch until around 11:00 p.m.
Wife starts her "prep" tomorrow morning for Tuesday's colonoscopy.  Don't think any part of this will be enjoyable.

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The Old Testament reading for the day is Psalms 50, 51, and 52.  I believe that Psalm 51 was David's prayer of repentance for his sin with Bathsheba.  Fits me too. 

Psalm 50 

1	The mighty God, even the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.
2	Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.
3	Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.
4	He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.
5	Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.
6	And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.
7	Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God.
8	I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me.
9	I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds.
10	For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.
11	I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.
12	If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.
13	Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?
14	Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:
15	And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
16	But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?
17	Seeing thou hatest instruction, and casteth my words behind thee.
18	When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.
19	Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit.
20	Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother's son.
21	These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.
22	Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.
23	Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.

Psalm 51 

1	Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
2	Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
3	For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
4	Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
5	Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6	Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
7	Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8	Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
9	Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
10	Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
11	Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
12	Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
13	Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
14	Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
15	O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
16	For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
17	The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
18	Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
19	Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

Psalm 52 

1	Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually.
2	The tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
3	Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah.
4	Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.
5	God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah.
6	The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:
7	Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.
8	But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.
9	I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.

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The New Testament reading is verses 1-25 of Acts chapter 27

Acts 27:1-25 

1	And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus' band.
2	And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia; one Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us.
3	And the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself.
4	And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.
5	And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.
6	And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein.
7	And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone;
8	And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea.
9	Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them,
10	And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.
11	Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.
12	And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the south west and north west.
13	And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.
14	But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.
15	And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.
16	And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat:
17	Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven.
18	And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;
19	And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.
20	And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.
21	But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.
22	And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship.
23	For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,
24	Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
25	Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.