Today's Readings and Stuff -- Tuesday, 07 June 2016

things are helter-skelter and out of alignment around here.  Apologies for the mess.

=========================================

The Old Testament passage for today is chapters 23, 24, and 25 of 2nd Chronicles.

II Chronicles 23

1	And in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the captains of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into covenant with him.
2	And they went about in Judah, and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the chief of the fathers of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.
3	And all the congregation made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said unto them, Behold, the king's son shall reign, as the LORD hath said of the sons of David.
4	This is the thing that ye shall do; A third part of you entering on the sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be porters of the doors;
5	And a third part shall be at the king's house; and a third part at the gate of the foundation: and all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the LORD.
6	But let none come into the house of the LORD, save the priests, and they that minister of the Levites; they shall go in, for they are holy: but all the people shall keep the watch of the LORD.
7	And the Levites shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whosoever else cometh into the house, he shall be put to death: but be ye with the king when he cometh in, and when he goeth out.
8	So the Levites and all Judah did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest had commanded, and took every man his men that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that were to go out on the sabbath: for Jehoiada the priest dismissed not the courses.
9	Moreover Jehoiada the priest delivered to the captains of hundreds spears, and bucklers, and shields, that had been king David's, which were in the house of God.
10	And he set all the people, every man having his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the temple to the left side of the temple, along by the altar and the temple, by the king round about.
11	Then they brought out the king's son, and put upon him the crown, and gave him the testimony, and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, God save the king.
12	Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of the LORD:
13	And she looked, and, behold, the king stood at his pillar at the entering in, and the princes and the trumpets by the king: and all the people of the land rejoiced, and sounded with trumpets, also the singers with instruments of music, and such as taught to sing praise. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and said, Treason, Treason.
14	Then Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds that were set over the host, and said unto them, Have her forth of the ranges: and whoso followeth her, let him be slain with the sword. For the priest said, Slay her not in the house of the LORD.
15	So they laid hands on her; and when she was come to the entering of the horse gate by the king's house, they slew her there.
16	And Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the LORD's people.
17	Then all the people went to the house of Baal, and brake it down, and brake his altars and his images in pieces, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.
18	Also Jehoiada appointed the offices of the house of the LORD by the hand of the priests the Levites, whom David had distributed in the house of the LORD, to offer the burnt offerings of the LORD, as it is written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, as it was ordained by David.
19	And he set the porters at the gates of the house of the LORD, that none which was unclean in any thing should enter in.
20	And he took the captains of hundreds, and the nobles, and the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought down the king from the house of the LORD: and they came through the high gate into the king's house, and set the king upon the throne of the kingdom.
21	And all the people of the land rejoiced: and the city was quiet, after that they had slain Athaliah with the sword.

II Chronicles 24

1	Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Zibiah of Beersheba.
2	And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest.
3	And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begat sons and daughters.
4	And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to repair the house of the LORD.
5	And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened it not.
6	And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the collection, according to the commandment of Moses the servant of the LORD, and of the congregation of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness?
7	For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the LORD did they bestow upon Baalim.
8	And at the king's commandment they made a chest, and set it without at the gate of the house of the LORD.
9	And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the LORD the collection that Moses the servant of God laid upon Israel in the wilderness.
10	And all the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made an end.
11	Now it came to pass, that at what time the chest was brought unto the king's office by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, the king's scribe and the high priest's officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to his place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance.
12	And the king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the LORD, and also such as wrought iron and brass to mend the house of the LORD.
13	So the workmen wrought, and the work was perfected by them, and they set the house of God in his state, and strengthened it.
14	And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, whereof were made vessels for the house of the LORD, even vessels to minister, and to offer withal, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the LORD continually all the days of Jehoiada.
15	But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of days when he died; an hundred and thirty years old was he when he died.
16	And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God, and toward his house.
17	Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them.
18	And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.
19	Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.
20	And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.
21	And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD.
22	Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The LORD look upon it, and require it.
23	And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the host of Syria came up against him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them unto the king of Damascus.
24	For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the LORD delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash.
25	And when they were departed from him, (for they left him in great diseases,) his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died: and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings.
26	And these are they that conspired against him; Zabad the son of Shimeath an Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith a Moabitess.
27	Now concerning his sons, and the greatness of the burdens laid upon him, and the repairing of the house of God, behold, they are written in the story of the book of the kings. And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.

II Chronicles 25

1	Amaziah was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.
2	And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart.
3	Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was established to him, that he slew his servants that had killed the king his father.
4	But he slew not their children, but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses, where the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin.
5	Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and made them captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, according to the houses of their fathers, throughout all Judah and Benjamin: and he numbered them from twenty years old and above, and found them three hundred thousand choice men, able to go forth to war, that could handle spear and shield.
6	He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valor out of Israel for an hundred talents of silver.
7	But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee; for the LORD is not with Israel, to wit, with all the children of Ephraim.
8	But if thou wilt go, do it; be strong for the battle: God shall make thee fall before the enemy: for God hath power to help, and to cast down.
9	And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, The LORD is able to give thee much more than this.
10	Then Amaziah separated them, to wit, the army that was come to him out of Ephraim, to go home again: wherefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in great anger.
11	And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people, and went to the valley of salt, and smote of the children of Seir ten thousand.
12	And other ten thousand left alive did the children of Judah carry away captive, and brought them unto the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, that they all were broken in pieces.
13	But the soldiers of the army which Amaziah sent back, that they should not go with him to battle, fell upon the cities of Judah, from Samaria even unto Bethhoron, and smote three thousand of them, and took much spoil.
14	Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them.
15	Wherefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent unto him a prophet, which said unto him, Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which could not deliver their own people out of thine hand?
16	And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto him, Art thou made of the king's counsel? forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel.
17	Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us see one another in the face.
18	And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.
19	Thou sayest, Lo, thou hast smitten the Edomites; and thine heart lifteth thee up to boast: abide now at home; why shouldest thou meddle to thine hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?
20	But Amaziah would not hear; for it came of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they sought after the gods of Edom.
21	So Joash the king of Israel went up; and they saw one another in the face, both he and Amaziah king of Judah, at Bethshemesh, which belongeth to Judah.
22	And Judah was put to the worse before Israel, and they fled every man to his tent.
23	And Joash the king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at Bethshemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits.
24	And he took all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obededom, and the treasures of the king's house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.
25	And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.
26	Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, behold, are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel?
27	Now after the time that Amaziah did turn away from following the LORD they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he fled to Lachish: but they sent to Lachish after him, and slew him there.
28	And they brought him upon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.

=============================================
=======================================

The New Testament reading is John chapter 16, verses 16-33.

John 16:16-33

16	A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.
17	Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?
18	They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.
19	Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me?
20	Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.
21	A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.
22	And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.
23	And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
24	Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
25	These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.
26	At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:
27	For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
28	I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.
29	His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.
30	Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.
31	Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?
32	Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
33	These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Please Support Bridges of Faith

As some know, we lived until fairly recently in the River Region of central Alabama.  While there, we got to know -- slightly -- a couple operating a ministry near there called Bridges of Faith.  Rev. Tom Benz and wife Larissa are operating this as a means of rescuing orphans from Ukraine, finding adoptive parents in the US if possible, but in any case providing an outreach of love to them and a glimpse of an alternative to the grim future many might fall into otherwise.
Most are aware of the troubles going on in Ukraine, primarily in the eastern regions, over the last weeks and beyond.  Persons without a knowledge of the area are likely to be unaware of how cruelly the nation has been treated over the last century, primarily by those espousing socialist doctrines of various flavors.  Poland has been treated worse perhaps, but if so it's not by much.  The deliberate death by starvation perpetrated by Josip Stalin killed millions, a number approaching that of the Holocaust against the Jews.  Yet it was hidden, deliberately and to this very day, by the "Progressives" of the New York Times who still possess the Pulitizer prize awarded to Duranty who covered up the crime.
Socialism ALWAYS leads to death and misery.
And future for all too many of these orphans are miserable and short lives as prostitutes and gangsters.
Despite all the tumult of today, they are STILL managing to rescue some of these kids. 
Yet there is still much sorrow in that land, and many are hurting.
I believe that the Lord can literally accomplish anything.  I've seen miracles.
But prayer is important.
If you can, material support is always needed and always received and used responsibly.

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Monday, 17 March 2014

we went nowhere yesterday.  Dear Wife spent most of the day either in bed, stretched out on the recliner, or throwing up.  Not a good time for anyone.  The pinkeye has moved into the other eye.  Since the condition is fantastically contagious, it is miraculous that I have not contracted it myself.  Yet.  What it means, of course, is that the rough schedule we'd gotten into, with her "watching" namesake grand-niece next door, several days a week, has been on hold the last few weeks what with her various illnesses that we want to avoid passing on -- or back to -- the Little One. 
And I am having numbness in some of my toes on the left foot.  Dear Wife pointed out that I've been wearing a sweatsuit all day with elastic around the ankles which may affect circulation in the foot.  And that I've also been putting sugar in my coffee, rather than the Stevia which is too expensive or the WalMart Splenda which we were being told is at the root of several maladies.  Trying to avoid Peripheral Artery Disease or the like.  Perhaps I'm just being a worrier, which is part of my nature.

Tomorrow she goes back to the oral surgeon who did the major work on her last month.  We'd figured a good six to eight weeks after the surgery before she might begin the process of being fitted for dentures.  She's getting tired of soup, soft bread, and gumming food. She still has two teeth remaining in the lower jaw which actually makes things more difficult, though they will possibly be an anchor point for the lower partial denture.  Will be glad when it's all done.
Scary thing is that in a few weeks I go back to the dentist at which time they will start some work on me.  Will certainly have the remains of a few broken teeth removed, and it's likely that I'll be sporting partial dentures before Autumn.  Since both my parents were much further along that road when they were 25 years younger than I am now, perhaps it's not all bad.  But it does make us look like the walking wounded.

Spent the day yesterday in a lot of prayerful reflection.  Had a song in my head throughout, "The Longer I Serve Him, The Sweeter it Grows".  I need badly to be in a local church and serving in it.  Being away from that, and not serving is contrary to my nature and calling.

=================================================

Have been posting about our friends over at Bridges of Faith, the ministry to the orphans in Ukraine, and the issues there in the midst of the turmoil there now.  I can say that one of the staff members is now on the ground in Crimea, and another is heading for Kiev this coming week.  Things are very very difficult.  Prayers needed.

=====================================

The reading in the Old Testament is chapters 29 and 30 of Deuteronomy.

Deuteronomy 29

1	These are the words of the covenant, which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, beside the covenant which he made with them in Horeb.
2	And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Ye have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land;
3	The great temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles:
4	Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.
5	And I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot.
6	Ye have not eaten bread, neither have ye drunk wine or strong drink: that ye might know that I am the LORD your God.
7	And when ye came unto this place, Sihon the king of Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, came out against us unto battle, and we smote them:
8	And we took their land, and gave it for an inheritance unto the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the half tribe of Manasseh.
9	Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do.
10	Ye stand this day all of you before the LORD your God; your captains of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, with all the men of Israel,
11	Your little ones, your wives, and thy stranger that is in thy camp, from the hewer of thy wood unto the drawer of thy water:
12	That thou shouldest enter into covenant with the LORD thy God, and into his oath, which the LORD thy God maketh with thee this day:
13	That he may establish thee to day for a people unto himself, and that he may be unto thee a God, as he hath said unto thee, and as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
14	Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath;
15	But with him that standeth here with us this day before the LORD our God, and also with him that is not here with us this day:
16	(For ye know how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt; and how we came through the nations which ye passed by;
17	And ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them:)
18	Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood;
19	And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst:
20	The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven.
21	And the LORD shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that are written in this book of the law:
22	So that the generation to come of your children that shall rise up after you, and the stranger that shall come from a far land, shall say, when they see the plagues of that land, and the sicknesses which the LORD hath laid upon it;
23	And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath:
24	Even all nations shall say, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this land? what meaneth the heat of this great anger?
25	Then men shall say, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt:
26	For they went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods whom they knew not, and whom he had not given unto them:
27	And the anger of the LORD was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book:
28	And the LORD rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day.
29	The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.

Deuteronomy 30

1	And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee,
2	And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul;
3	That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee.
4	If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee:
5	And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.
6	And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.
7	And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee.
8	And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the LORD, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day.
9	And the LORD thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the LORD will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers:
10	If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.
11	For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.
12	It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
13	Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
14	But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.
15	See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;
16	In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.
17	But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;
18	I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.
19	I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
20	That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

=======================

The New Testament reading is chapter 16 of the Gospel of Mark, completing it.
Yesterday's passage was the Crucifixion.  This passage is a terse account of the Resurrection and the Ascension.

Mark 16

1	And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
2	And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
3	And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?
4	And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.
5	And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.
6	And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
7	But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.
8	And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.
9	Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.
10	And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.
11	And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.
12	After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.
13	And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.
14	Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.
15	And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
16	He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
17	And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18	They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
19	So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
20	And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

 

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Sunday, 16 March 2014

 Happy Sunday to all.  Friday we hit 50 degrees.  Yesterday, 41.  Last night it was down to 11 and today's "high" is predicted to be 29, but by Tuesday we're supposed to be back into the low 50's.  Would be REAL nice.  After 21, nearly 22 years in the South, and the last 7 in the Deep South, the particularly cold and bitter winter even by Ohio standards is not terribly welcome.  Tired of the cold and the gray skies.  

We are going to make another try at church attendance this morning.  Dear Wife has been quite ill for some time, had her back in the doctor office again this week.  Don't really like taking her out, particularly when she's getting over something (we hope) that drags her down, and most particularly when the weather is lousy.
Yet after having spent so many years with our presence in and service with, local churches, we've rarely been inside one since we made the move late last year.  I spoke on phone with pastor at one local congregation more than a week ago, and that is where we expect to visit next, but we shall see.

========================================================
repeating what I posted previously.  You are doubtless aware of the goings-on in Ukraine.  We have friends back in Alabama who are operating a ministry to orphans in Ukraine, half a world away.  Conditions there before the Russian invasion were already awful - the all-too-frequent career path for orphan girls, for example, after they have to leave the orphanages there, is as a prostitute.  Career path for boys is no better.  And that was before the invasion.  The ministry's location in Ukraine is actually in Crimea, which is now occupied land and they have to move.  One of the staffers is already en route to Ukraine (was to fly out yesterday), and Rev. Tom Benz is flying out Tuesday I believe.  They badly need our fervent prayers and any temporal support would be helpful as well.
Look it up at the Bridges of Faith site on the web or on FaceBook. 

===============================================

The Old Testament reading for today is chapter 28 of Deuteronomy.  
These are not suggestions.  They are commandments.

Deuteronomy 28

1	And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:
2	And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.
3	Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.
4	Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.
5	Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.
6	Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.
7	The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.
8	The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
9	The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways.
10	And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee.
11	And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
12	The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.
13	And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:
14	And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.
15	But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:
16	Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.
17	Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store.
18	Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.
19	Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.
20	The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me.
21	The LORD shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it.
22	The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish.
23	And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron.
24	The LORD shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed.
25	The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.
26	And thy carcass shall be meat unto all fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray them away.
27	The LORD will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed.
28	The LORD shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart:
29	And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee.
30	Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: thou shalt build an house, and thou shalt not dwell therein: thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not gather the grapes thereof.
31	Thine ox shall be slain before thine eyes, and thou shalt not eat thereof: thine ass shall be violently taken away from before thy face, and shall not be restored to thee: thy sheep shall be given unto thine enemies, and thou shalt have none to rescue them.
32	Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day long; and there shall be no might in thine hand.
33	The fruit of thy land, and all thy labors, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway:
34	So that thou shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.
35	The LORD shall smite thee in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of thy foot unto the top of thy head.
36	The LORD shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone.
37	And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the LORD shall lead thee.
38	Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and shalt gather but little in; for the locust shall consume it.
39	Thou shalt plant vineyards, and dress them, but shalt neither drink of the wine, nor gather the grapes; for the worms shall eat them.
40	Thou shalt have olive trees throughout all thy coasts, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with the oil; for thine olive shall cast his fruit.
41	Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy them; for they shall go into captivity.
42	All thy trees and fruit of thy land shall the locust consume.
43	The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low.
44	He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail.
45	Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee:
46	And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever.
47	Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things;
48	Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.
49	The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand;
50	A nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor show favor to the young:
51	And he shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruit of thy land, until thou be destroyed: which also shall not leave thee either corn, wine, or oil, or the increase of thy kine, or flocks of thy sheep, until he have destroyed thee.
52	And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and fenced walls come down, wherein thou trustedst, throughout all thy land: and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates throughout all thy land, which the LORD thy God hath given thee.
53	And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the LORD thy God hath given thee, in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee:
54	So that the man that is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of his children which he shall leave:
55	So that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat: because he hath nothing left him in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee in all thy gates.
56	The tender and delicate woman among you, which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter,
57	And toward her young one that cometh out from between her feet, and toward her children which she shall bear: for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness, wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates.
58	If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD;
59	Then the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance.
60	Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee.
61	Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the LORD bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed.
62	And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude; because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the LORD thy God.
63	And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it.
64	And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone.
65	And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind:
66	And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life:
67	In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.
68	And the LORD shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I spake unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again: and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you.

================================================

The New Testament reading is verses 27-47 of Mark chapter 15.
The Crucifixion reaches its climax.  Jesus' body is placed into the tomb.
But there's more to this story.

Mark 15:27-47

27	And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left.
28	And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.
29	And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days,
30	Save thyself, and come down from the cross.
31	Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save.
32	Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.
33	And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.
34	And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
35	And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias.
36	And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down.
37	And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.
38	And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.
39	And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.
40	There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;
41	(Who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered unto him;) and many other women which came up with him unto Jerusalem.
42	And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath,
43	Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.
44	And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead.
45	And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.
46	And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre.
47	And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was laid.