Today's Readings and Stuff -- Friday, 12 August 2016

I was awakened at 05:45 by several cats who, imagining themselves to be at death's door from starvation, demanded breakfast.  So I crawled out of bed and did it.  Had visions of a few more minutes of snooze, but the alarm went off at 06:00 so Dear Wife could go next door to "watch" the Great=Niece.  She wanted a 10 minute snooze alarm.  Ok.  Then another, at which point one of the beasts decided to use her for a race track, ending thoughts of sleep and improving the disposition not one bit.  So I got up and made her coffee and toast and got a banana for her morning ritual of a banana sandwich on toast.  She was dressed by then (we use a toaster oven for a toaster and it takes a LOT longer than a standard toaster would).  And she dove in.  I "nuked" the remains of yesterday's pot of coffee while setting up the brewer for a new pot.  And then she's off next door.

Been a weird couple of days, the next few will probably be no better.  We shall see.  A lot of things going through my mind right now.

---------------------------------------------------------
------===============================================

Our assigned reading in the Old Testament is Psalms 93, 94, and 95.  Psalm 95 is a personal favorite and has been for quite some time.

Psalm 93

1 The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.  

2 Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.  

3 The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves. 

4 The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.  

5 Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O LORD, for ever.

Psalm 94

1 O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself. 

2 Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: render a reward to the proud. 

3 LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? 

4 How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves? 

5 They break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thine heritage. 

6 They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless.  

7 Yet they say, The LORD shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. 

8 Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise?  

9 He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?  

10 He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know?  

11 The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.  

12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law; 

13 That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked. 14 For the LORD will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.  

15 But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it.  

16 Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity? 

17 Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.  

18 When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up.  

19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.  

20 Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law? 

21 They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.  

22 But the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge.  

23 And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; yea, the LORD our God shall cut them off.

Psalm 95

1 O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. 

2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. 

3 For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.  

4 In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also. 

5 The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.  

6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker. 

7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,  

8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 

9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.  

10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways:  

11 Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.

+++++++++++++++++++========================
====================++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The passage from the New Testament is verses 22-36 of Romans chapter 11.
 
Romans 11:22-36

 

22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.  

23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.  

24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree? 

25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 

26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 

27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. 

28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes.  

29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.  

30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 

31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.  

32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. 

33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 

34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?  

35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 

36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.