Today's Readings and Stuff -- Monday, 09 April 2018

Lousy weather, still.  Woke yesterday to snow on the ground, and more falling.  NOT what I want in April!  (or in March, February, January, December  or ..  well, you get the idea).  Hit a "high" of around 37°.  About the same is on tap for today.  But at least we didn't wake to snow on the ground and more falling fast, unlike yesterday.  A so-called "high" of 38° predicted, then 24° tonight.  But, we're up to 13 hours and 2 minutes of "day", gaining more than 2 more minutes by tomorrow.  A hopeful sign.  And the weathercasters, having sacrificed chickens, donned silly masks, and danced in a circle amidst voodoo drums, have "thrown the bones" and predicted we might see 74° by Friday!  Nice, if true.  But, as ever, the old catchphrase around here is "we just shoveled 5 inches of that predicted 'partly cloudy' off the sidewalk."  Has been true on several occasions in my lifetime, so I place no faith whatever in what "experts" confidently tell us.  Seen far too many errors.  Oh, and yes, that 74 on Friday.. A few days later, a week from today, the "high" of around 42.

Niece and husband and kids are heading out on a Florida vacation late this week.  So, among other things, niece who works part-time is "getting her hours  in" early this week, and so Wife was next door by 07:30 to "watch" the kids.  So I had her coffee and some hot biscuits ready for her, and saw her off.  So, of course 15 minutes later, had to run back over to bear some items she'd forgotten, and to put niece's dog out to "do his business".  While they're gone, I'll "get" to do that several times a day, of course.  (no, I'm not a dog lover.  Some people think that makes me a bad person.  Whatever.).  But I've got a 2nd load of laundry (towels) in the washer right now, at least one more to follow.  And her CPAP hoses soaking in a cleaning solution for a bit before I shove the scrubber brushes through.  And then wash, by hand, a few dishes, and perhaps run a vacuum.  And search for , and find I hope, the library book that the cats knocked off the table between this desk and my chair.  Hopefully, they didn't "decorate" it.
This "retirement" stuff is exhausting.



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Today in the Old Testament, chapter 11 in the book of Joshua.  More war.
I strongly recommend at least two things in the whole Joshua readings.

1. Get a map with these areas clearly marked.  Preferably one that shows the geography, the terrain and watercourses (if any) shown.  Do you know, offhand, where Achshaph is/was?  Probably not.  Not at the tip of my tongue either.  There were ancient "roads", including important trade routes, in the area.  Indeed, Israel is right on the ancient "king's highway" connecting Egypt with Persia.  And, perhaps, further:  the Mediterranean for example, provided a path to and from, say, Greece and Italy.
2. Look up, particularly in Genesis and the Bible generally, these people group names.  Remember the source of the hatred between, say, the Canaanites and the Israelites.  No, it didn't begin with the Exodus.  Goes back lots further.  Some history there.  And, by the way, some of those hatreds, extending back to the time of the Patriarchs, trouble the world to this very day.

Joshua 11

1  And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor had heard those things, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph,

2  And to the kings that were on the north of the mountains, and of the plains south of Chinneroth, and in the valley, and in the borders of Dor on the west,

3  And to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and to the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the mountains, and to the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpah.

4  And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many.

5  And when all these kings were met together, they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.

6  And the Lord said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire.

7  So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly; and they fell upon them.

8  And the Lord delivered them into the hand of Israel, who smote them, and chased them unto great Zidon, and unto Misrephoth–maim, and unto the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and they smote them, until they left them none remaining.

9  And Joshua did unto them as the Lord bade him: he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire.

10  And Joshua at that time turned back, and took Hazor, and smote the king thereof with the sword: for Hazor beforetime was the head of all those kingdoms.

11  And they smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them: there was not any left to breathe: and he burnt Hazor with fire.

12  And all the cities of those kings, and all the kings of them, did Joshua take, and smote them with the edge of the sword, and he utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the Lord commanded.

13  But as for the cities that stood still in their strength, Israel burned none of them, save Hazor only; that did Joshua burn.

14  And all the spoil of these cities, and the cattle, the children of Israel took for a prey unto themselves; but every man they smote with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them, neither left they any to breathe.

15  As the Lord commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command Joshua, and so did Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded Moses.

16  So Joshua took all that land, the hills, and all the south country, and all the land of Goshen, and the valley, and the plain, and the mountain of Israel, and the valley of the same;

17  Even from the mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir, even unto Baal–gad in the valley of Lebanon under mount Hermon: and all their kings he took, and smote them, and slew them.

18  Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.

19  There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, save the Hivites the inhabitants of Gibeon: all other they took in battle.

20  For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favour, but that he might destroy them, as the Lord commanded Moses.

21  And at that time came Joshua, and cut off the Anakims from the mountains, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel: Joshua destroyed them utterly with their cities.

22  There was none of the Anakims left in the land of the children of Israel: only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, there remained.

23  So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the Lord said unto Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from war.

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Today, Psalm  71
This was not light versifying.  This was a cry to the Lord in a time of trouble.  And, after all, where else should we look?

Psalm 71

1  In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.

2  Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.

3  Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.

4  Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

5  For thou art my hope, O Lord God: thou art my trust from my youth.

6  By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.

7  I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.

8  Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.

9  Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.

10  For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together,

11  Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him.

12  O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help.

13  Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.

14  But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.

15  My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.

16  I will go in the strength of the Lord God: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.

17  O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.

18  Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.

19  Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!

20  Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

21  Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.

22  I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.

23  My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.

24  My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.

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Today in the New Testament, chapter 3 in the Gospel of John.
Books and sermons have been written based on this chapter, and the matter is not exhausted.  Indeed, some of our favorite verses are to be found here.  But don't stop with verse 16, ponder well those around it.

John 3

1  There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

2  The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

5  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

8  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

9  Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

10  Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

12  If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

15  That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

22  After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.

23  And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.

24  For John was not yet cast into prison.

25  Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying.

26  And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.

27  John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.

28  Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.

29  He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.

30  He must increase, but I must decrease.

31  He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.

32  And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.

33  He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.

34  For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.

35  The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

36  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.