Today's Readings and Stuff -- Saturday, 25 March 2017

Very abbreviated this morning.  Dear Wife had a bad day yesterday, and was in bed last night before 8:30.  Which is OK, it's been the case before, but today is the Big Birthday Party for the Great-Nephew.  Attendance is pretty much mandatory, though even that is not 100% certain even this close.  We shall see.  Even if we do go, I'm not sure we'll stay very long.  She enjoys these family things, and since we have sub-zero opportunity to do it with our own kids, my childless sister lives a day's journey away, my own nephews are   even further, and such, we have to "borrow" other people's kids and grand-kids, etc. to be able to get in on these things.  Loneliness is no fun: I've been stuck in it virtually my entire life.  I can handle it, after a fashion.  She can't, not really.   So we will certainly make an effort.

A quick mention of a link to a site and posting that I think worth mentioning.  The poster is Corby Stephens, who I'd not heard of before, but followed a suggestion from someone else.    His post, the one that I was directed to, is entitled   Jesus; Savior, Lord, and Mentor? and it's on his site.  I think it's worth the read.

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The Old Testament passage:  chapters 14 and 15 of Joshua

Joshua 14

1 And these are the countries which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance to them. 2 By lot was their inheritance, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe. 3 For Moses had given the inheritance of two tribes and an half tribe on the other side Jordan: but unto the Levites he gave none inheritance among them. 4 For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in, with their suburbs for their cattle and for their substance. 5 As the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did, and they divided the land. 6 Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea. 7 Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart. 8 Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God. 9 And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children's for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God. 10 And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. 11 As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in. 12 Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said. 13 And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance. 14 Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel. 15 And the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba; which Arba was a great man among the Anakims. And the land had rest from war.

Joshua 15

1 This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by their families; even to the border of Edom the wilderness of Zin southward was the uttermost part of the south coast. 2 And their south border was from the shore of the salt sea, from the bay that looketh southward: 3 And it went out to the south side to Maalehacrabbim, and passed along to Zin, and ascended up on the south side unto Kadeshbarnea, and passed along to Hezron, and went up to Adar, and fetched a compass to Karkaa: 4 From thence it passed toward Azmon, and went out unto the river of Egypt; and the goings out of that coast were at the sea: this shall be your south coast. 5 And the east border was the salt sea, even unto the end of Jordan. And their border in the north quarter was from the bay of the sea at the uttermost part of Jordan: 6 And the border went up to Bethhogla, and passed along by the north of Betharabah; and the border went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben: 7 And the border went up toward Debir from the valley of Achor, and so northward, looking toward Gilgal, that is before the going up to Adummim, which is on the south side of the river: and the border passed toward the waters of Enshemesh, and the goings out thereof were at Enrogel: 8 And the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom unto the south side of the Jebusite; the same is Jerusalem: and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lieth before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the end of the valley of the giants northward: 9 And the border was drawn from the top of the hill unto the fountain of the water of Nephtoah, and went out to the cities of mount Ephron; and the border was drawn to Baalah, which is Kirjathjearim: 10 And the border compassed from Baalah westward unto mount Seir, and passed along unto the side of mount Jearim, which is Chesalon, on the north side, and went down to Bethshemesh, and passed on to Timnah: 11 And the border went out unto the side of Ekron northward: and the border was drawn to Shicron, and passed along to mount Baalah, and went out unto Jabneel; and the goings out of the border were at the sea. 12 And the west border was to the great sea, and the coast thereof. This is the coast of the children of Judah round about according to their families. 13 And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of the LORD to Joshua, even the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron. 14 And Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak. 15 And he went up thence to the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir before was Kirjathsepher. 16 And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife. 17 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife. 18 And it came to pass, as she came unto him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted off her ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wouldest thou? 19 Who answered, Give me a blessing; for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And he gave her the upper springs, and the nether springs. 20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families. 21 And the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the coast of Edom southward were Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur, 22 And Kinah, and Dimonah, and Adadah, 23 And Kedesh, and Hazor, and Ithnan, 24 Ziph, and Telem, and Bealoth, 25 And Hazor, Hadattah, and Kerioth, and Hezron, which is Hazor, 26 Amam, and Shema, and Moladah, 27 And Hazargaddah, and Heshmon, and Bethpalet, 28 And Hazarshual, and Beersheba, and Bizjothjah, 29 Baalah, and Iim, and Azem, 30 And Eltolad, and Chesil, and Hormah, 31 And Ziklag, and Madmannah, and Sansannah, 32 And Lebaoth, and Shilhim, and Ain, and Rimmon: all the cities are twenty and nine, with their villages: 33 And in the valley, Eshtaol, and Zoreah, and Ashnah, 34 And Zanoah, and Engannim, Tappuah, and Enam, 35 Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah, 36 And Sharaim, and Adithaim, and Gederah, and Gederothaim; fourteen cities with their villages: 37 Zenan, and Hadashah, and Migdalgad, 38 And Dilean, and Mizpeh, and Joktheel, 39 Lachish, and Bozkath, and Eglon, 40 And Cabbon, and Lahmam, and Kithlish, 41 And Gederoth, Bethdagon, and Naamah, and Makkedah; sixteen cities with their villages: 42 Libnah, and Ether, and Ashan, 43 And Jiphtah, and Ashnah, and Nezib, 44 And Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages: 45 Ekron, with her towns and her villages: 46 From Ekron even unto the sea, all that lay near Ashdod, with their villages: 47 Ashdod with her towns and her villages, Gaza with her towns and her villages, unto the river of Egypt, and the great sea, and the border thereof: 48 And in the mountains, Shamir, and Jattir, and Socoh, 49 And Dannah, and Kirjathsannah, which is Debir, 50 And Anab, and Eshtemoh, and Anim, 51 And Goshen, and Holon, and Giloh; eleven cities with their villages: 52 Arab, and Dumah, and Eshean, 53 And Janum, and Bethtappuah, and Aphekah, 54 And Humtah, and Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, and Zior; nine cities with their villages: 55 Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Juttah, 56 And Jezreel, and Jokdeam, and Zanoah, 57 Cain, Gibeah, and Timnah; ten cities with their villages: 58 Halhul, Bethzur, and Gedor, 59 And Maarath, and Bethanoth, and Eltekon; six cities with their villages: 60 Kirjathbaal, which is Kirjathjearim, and Rabbah; two cities with their villages: 61 In the wilderness, Betharabah, Middin, and Secacah, 62 And Nibshan, and the city of Salt, and Engedi; six cities with their villages. 63 As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day.

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Our New Testament reading:  Luke 4:33-44

Luke 4:33-44

33 And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, 34 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God. 35 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not. 36 And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out. 37 And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about. 38 And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house. And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her. 39 And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them. 40 Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them. 41 And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ. 42 And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them. 43 And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent. 44 And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.

Today's REadings and Stuff -- Wednesday, 16 July 2014

I fel awful.. no strength or energy at all, and there were things that I had to do today, and managed the most important ones, but barely, and no more than that.  Not sure what the problem is.
Had Dear Wife to her Physical Therapy session at 09:30, then to an appointment with the orthopedic doctor in the same facility.  Result of all of that is that her knee is getting stronger but the hardware put in back in 1990 or so is pretty much wearing out. Until it finally does, there's not much that can be done for her.  Recommend she continue to work the joint to build up the muscles and tendons.  With respect to the shoulder, there's nothing to be done.  The damage she suffered in the fall she took back in 2012, the one that broke her ankle, resulted in healing with parts out of line, she now has a tendon that connects clavicle to scapula that is wedged under some parts that it should run over.  Surgery might, perhaps, possibly diminish some of the pain, but at the cost of 20-30% of the range of motion.  So nothing to be done.  She has another PT session scheduled for tomorrow, and we'll see what the plan is after that.  I'm told there is a gym membership available to people in or demographic for only about $15/month, which might be worth it.  And she's found an exercycle on the local "for sale cheap" web site for only about $40, which is a good deal, and we're planning to go pick it up Saturday.
Stopped en route home at local grocery, ostensibly for eggs but of course had to check produce and half the rest of the store.   Then home and a bit of salad to eat, and then crash for a while.
I still feel like a limp dishrag and have NO appetite whatever.  That's not terribly unusual:  I don't get hungry, normally, until the fast is over a day and sometimes more.  Just a weirdness of mine.  But usually once I start to eat, I get an appetite.  Not today nor yesterday.  Wife thinks it's related to the loss of energy and I guess that's possible.
So I don't feel real profound again.  Been spending a lot of time the last day or so in a running silent conversation with the Lord, some things need sorted out and He's granting some insights.  Am grateful, very.

Got word today that we have a Commanded Presence at two separate Events of The Year on the same Sunday afternoon upcoming.  Wife's nephew's daughter, another grand-niece, has a 3rd birthday coming up.  (I don't recall big fusses made over such things when I was a kid, we generally had a cake and candles and a small gift or two, but it was just my parents and us kids.  Nothing more.  Now, it seems to be A Big Thing.  I guess that's OK.
The other Event is the High School graduation Open House for wife's cousin's grand-daughter.  It was the earliest it could be scheduled for a lot of reasons, not least of which is that they're in the midst of a difficult long-distance relocation.  So we'll try to do both, and they're only about 15 miles apart.  But no matter what, someone will be miffed, probably both camps.  Not much I can do about that.

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  The Old Testament passage is Psalms 19, 20, and 21.  Psalm 19 is a long time personal favorite of mine.

Psalm 19

1	The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
2	Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
3	There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
4	Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
5	Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
6	His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
7	The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
8	The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9	The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
10	More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
11	Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
12	Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
13	Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
14	Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

Psalm 20 

1	The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee;
2	Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion;
3	Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah.
4	Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.
5	We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions.
6	Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand.
7	Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
8	They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.
9	Save, LORD: let the king hear us when we call.

Psalm 21 

1	The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!
2	Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah.
3	For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness: thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head.
4	He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever.
5	His glory is great in thy salvation: honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him.
6	For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance.
7	For the king trusteth in the LORD, and through the mercy of the most High he shall not be moved.
8	Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee.
9	Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them.
10	Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth, and their seed from among the children of men.
11	For they intended evil against thee: they imagined a mischievous device, which they are not able to perform.
12	Therefore shalt thou make them turn their back, when thou shalt make ready thine arrows upon thy strings against the face of them.
13	Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: so will we sing and praise thy power.

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The New Testament reading is verses 21-41 of Acts 19.

Acts 19:21-41

21	After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.
22	So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.
23	And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.
24	For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;
25	Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.
26	Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:
27	So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.
28	And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
29	And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.
30	And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.
31	And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre.
32	Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused: and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.
33	And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people.
34	But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
35	And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?
36	Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.
37	For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.
38	Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another.
39	But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.
40	For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.
41	And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Saturday, 29 March, 2014

late afternoon here.  Just got home.  Today was the long-awaited birthday party for Dear Wife's nephew's step-son.  Great Stuff.  They have a small place, so they rented a side room in a down-at-the-heels bowling alley nearby to host this great event.  Theme of the party was Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which I guess is OK for a kid turning all of 7 years old.  Half of those invited showed up anywhere from half and hour to an hour late, and then we had about 30 kids running around screaming.  Glad to be there.  Gladder to leave.
Tomorrow we are planning to attend church services at the place I visited last week.  Dear Wife is looking forward to it.  Then, mid-afternoon, we are planning to attend the 40th anniversary and renewal of wedding vows of the couple who essentially raised my brother's sons.  Long story, but Wayne and Laura married while still in high school, a practice that was, while rare, not at all unknown in that area of sub-Appalachian Ohio.  That is the area where Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania all collide.  Used to be coal mining area before the eco-Nazi's in the Obumble Administration made it their mission to drive the area even further into poverty in order to feel noble.  It's a good drive from here, but we should be able to make the trip if we leave here right after church.  WE hit a local flea market this morning and were able to find something nic but inexpensive that will serve as a gift for the occasion.
BUT
a look at the weather forecast shows ice accumulating and snow right afterward.  We may be stuck at home the entire day.  We shall see.

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The Old Testament reading is chapters 23 and 24 of Joshua.  This completes the book.  This has been a transition period.  Joshua was not Moses, but he'd been with Moses a good while before the responsibility came to him.  He was, with Caleb and Moses, the only ones who'd come out of Egypt.  He'd been through a whole lot.  After him, things get messy.  Here we begin to see him beginning to transition out.

Joshua 23

1	And it came to pass a long time after that the LORD had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age.
2	And Joshua called for all Israel, and for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, I am old and stricken in age:
3	And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God is he that hath fought for you.
4	Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea westward.
5	And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised unto you.
6	Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left;
7	That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them:
8	But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day.
9	For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day.
10	One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.
11	Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God.
12	Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you:
13	Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.
14	And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.
15	Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you; so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.
16	When ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you.

Joshua 24

1	And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.
2	And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.
3	And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac.
4	And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.
5	I sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them: and afterward I brought you out.
6	And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye came unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea.
7	And when they cried unto the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season.
8	And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, which dwelt on the other side Jordan; and they fought with you: and I gave them into your hand, that ye might possess their land; and I destroyed them from before you.
9	Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you:
10	But I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he blessed you still: so I delivered you out of his hand.
11	And you went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand.
12	And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow.
13	And I have given you a land for which ye did not labor, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.
14	Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.
15	And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
16	And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods;
17	For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed:
18	And the LORD drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the LORD; for he is our God.
19	And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.
20	If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.
21	And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the LORD.
22	And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses.
23	Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel.
24	And the people said unto Joshua, The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.
25	So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.
26	And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the LORD.
27	And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the LORD which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God.
28	So Joshua let the people depart, every man unto his inheritance.
29	And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old.
30	And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathserah, which is in mount Ephraim, on the north side of the hill of Gaash.
31	And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel.
32	And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.
33	And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim.

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The New Testament reading is verses 27-49 of Luke chapter 6.  Sermon on the Mount, part 2

Luke 6:27-49 

27	But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
28	Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
29	And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.
30	Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.
31	And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
32	For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
33	And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.
34	And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
35	But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
36	Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
37	Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
38	Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
39	And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?
40	The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.
41	And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
42	Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.
43	For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
44	For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.
45	A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
46	And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
47	Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
48	He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
49	But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Monday, 24 February 2014

happy Monday.  Heading into another bout of COLD weather this week.  Highs in the teens and low 20's.  But a week from today is also the 3rd of March, and the Vernal Equinox is nearly in sight.  Will be glad to see an end of snow and cold.  We still have snow on the ground, it's about 20 degrees out there right now which is  close to the expected high.
Dear Wife started feeling a bit better last evening, and agreed to "watch" Beloved Grand-Niece today.  Got up at 06:30 (or so) and trekked across the back yard.  Only to find that the Beloved One is sick, was up most of the night, and probably is having another bout of bronchitis or something much like it.  Found out a few minutes ago that the one who was "watching" her last week, Wife's nephew's wife (I did mention that this area has a LOT of her relatives,right?) also has bronchitis or something much like it, and had never mentioned the fact.  So that's another family strain on top of the others.  
So Dear Wife is kicked back on the recliner by the heater, under some blankets, hoping for "her" copper-colored cat to come up and stretch out on her lap.  I will have to make a run to the local Big Box store to get a few things in a bit.
And today is the birthday of Beloved Younger Daughter.  She lives some 900 miles from her, and there is no telling when we shall see her again.  Scheduled to graduate university in about a year, and we hope to be able to make the trek for that. 

PLEASE don't miss my posting from yesterday looking for prayer and any other possible support for a worthy ministry to Ukrainian orphans in the midst of the chaos over there.  You can see more detail at the site for Bridges of Faith.

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The Old Testament passage before us this morning is chapters 11, 12, and 13 of the book of Numbers.

Numbers 11

1	And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.
2	And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was quenched.
3	And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the LORD burnt among them.
4	And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?
5	We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic:
6	But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.
7	And the manna was as coriander seed, and the color thereof as the color of bdellium.
8	And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil.
9	And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it.
10	Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased.
11	And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favor in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?
12	Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers?
13	Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.
14	I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.
15	And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favor in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.
16	And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.
17	And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.
18	And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall eat.
19	Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days;
20	But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the LORD which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?
21	And Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month.
22	Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?
23	And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD's hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.
24	And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the LORD, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle.
25	And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
26	But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.
27	And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.
28	And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.
29	And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD's people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!
30	And Moses gat him into the camp, he and the elders of Israel.
31	And there went forth a wind from the LORD, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day's journey on this side, and as it were a day's journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth.
32	And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp.
33	And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague.
34	And he called the name of that place Kibrothhattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted.
35	And the people journeyed from Kibrothhattaavah unto Hazeroth; and abode at Hazeroth.

Numbers 12

1	And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.
2	And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it.
3	(Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)
4	And the LORD spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out.
5	And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth.
6	And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
7	My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.
8	With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?
9	And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed.
10	And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.
11	And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned.
12	Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother's womb.
13	And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee.
14	And the LORD said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in again.
15	And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days: and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again.
16	And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the wilderness of Paran.

Numbers 13

1	And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2	Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.
3	And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel.
4	And these were their names: of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur.
5	Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori.
6	Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
7	Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph.
8	Of the tribe of Ephraim, Oshea the son of Nun.
9	Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu.
10	Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi.
11	Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi.
12	Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli.
13	Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael.
14	Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi.
15	Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi.
16	These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua.
17	And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain:
18	And see the land, what it is, and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many;
19	And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds;
20	And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the first ripe grapes.
21	So they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath.
22	And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)
23	And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs.
24	The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence.
25	And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.
26	And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land.
27	And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.
28	Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.
29	The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.
30	And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.
31	But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.
32	And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.
33	And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

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The New Testament reading is verses 21-43 of the 5th chapter in the Gospel of Mark.

Mark 5:21-43

21	And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea.
22	And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,
23	And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.
24	And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.
25	And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,
26	And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,
27	When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
28	For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.
29	And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.
30	And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?
31	And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
32	And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.
33	But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.
34	And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
35	While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?
36	As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.
37	And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.
38	And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.
39	And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.
40	And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.
41	And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.
42	And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.
43	And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.