Today's Readings and Stuff - Wednesday, 08 January 2014

Starting to get into the realization that we're in a new year.  Cold here  - last night we were to around -1 degree at sunset, actually warmed slightly during the night as the cold front moved out and slightly warmer temps come in.  Supposed to hit the low 20's today and the mid-30's tomorrow and Friday.  Be most welcome.  The piping going to our washing machine froze up (or the valve inside the washer) but am glad to report that the cold water line to the kitchen sink did thaw in late afternoon.  Makes it a LOT easier to wash dishes and the like.  Perhaps the washer line will thaw today and we can do some clothes.  We've been living in sweatsuits for the last week, something we generally could not do in Lower Alabama, but after a while they develop an aroma that we don't want/

Dear Wife spent most of yesterday afternoon "watching" grand-niece (daughter of niece next door and her husband) AND grand-nephew (son of nephew and his wife).  Getting some of the family time we'd been missing for so long.

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Today's Old Testament reading is chapters 20, 21, 22 from the Genesis. 

Genesis 20

1	From there Abraham journeyed toward the territory of the Negeb and lived between Kadesh and Shur; and he sojourned in Gerar.
2	And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.
3	But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.”
4	Now Abimelech had not approached her. So he said, “Lord, will you kill an innocent people?
5	“Did he not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this.”
6	Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her.
7	“Now then, return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you shall live. But if you do not return her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.”
8	So Abimelech rose early in the morning and called all his servants and told them all these things. And the men were very much afraid.
9	Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done.”
10	And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you did this thing?”
11	Abraham said, “I did it because I thought, ‘There is no fear of God at all in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’
12	“Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father though not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife.
13	“And when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, I said to her, ‘This is the kindness you must do me: at every place to which we come, say of me, “He is my brother.”’”
14	Then Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and male servants and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and returned Sarah his wife to him.
15	And Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you.”
16	To Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. It is a sign of your innocence in the eyes of all who are with you, and before everyone you are vindicated.”
17	Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children.
18	For the Lord had closed all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

Genesis 21

1	The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised.
2	And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him.
3	Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac.
4	And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.
5	Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
6	And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.”
7	And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”
8	And the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.
9	But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing.
10	So she said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.”
11	And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son.
12	But God said to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named.
13	“And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring.”
14	So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.
15	When the water in the skin was gone, she put the child under one of the bushes.
16	Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot, for she said, “Let me not look on the death of the child.” And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept.
17	And God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is.
18	“Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”
19	Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.
20	And God was with the boy, and he grew up. He lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow.
21	He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.
22	At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, “God is with you in all that you do.
23	“Now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my descendants or with my posterity, but as I have dealt kindly with you, so you will deal with me and with the land where you have sojourned.”
24	And Abraham said, “I will swear.”
25	When Abraham reproved Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech’s servants had seized,
26	Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, and I have not heard of it until today.”
27	So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a covenant.
28	Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock apart.
29	And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?”
30	He said, “These seven ewe lambs you will take from my hand, that this may be a witness for me that I dug this well.”
31	Therefore that place was called Beersheba, because there both of them swore an oath.
32	So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army rose up and returned to the land of the Philistines.
33	Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God.
34	And Abraham sojourned many days in the land of the Philistines.

Genesis 22 

1	After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
2	He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”
3	So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.
4	On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar.
5	Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.”
6	And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together.
7	And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”
8	Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.
9	When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.
10	Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son.
11	But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
12	He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”
13	And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.
14	So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”
15	And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven
16	and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,
17	“I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies,
18	“and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”
19	So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba.
20	Now after these things it was told to Abraham, “Behold, Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor:
21	“Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram,
22	“Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.”
23	(Bethuel fathered Rebekah.) These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother.
24	Moreover, his concubine, whose name was Reumah, bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.

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The New Testament reading is chapter 7 from the Gospel of Matthew.  Sermon on the Mount, part 4

Matthew 7

1	When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him.
2	And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.”
3	And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
4	And Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”
5	When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him,
6	“Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.”
7	And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.”
8	But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.
9	“For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
10	When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.
11	“I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven,
12	“while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
13	And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.
14	And when Jesus entered Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever.
15	He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve him.
16	That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick.
17	This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.”
18	Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side.
19	And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”
20	And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”
21	Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”
22	And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”
23	And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him.
24	And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep.
25	And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.”
26	And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
27	And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”
28	And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way.
29	And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?”
30	Now a herd of many pigs was feeding at some distance from them.
31	And the demons begged him, saying, “If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of pigs.”
32	And he said to them, “Go.” So they came out and went into the pigs, and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the waters.
33	The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, especially what had happened to the demon-possessed men.
34	And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their region.

Today's Readings -- 21 May 2011

It is nice to be home on a Saturday evening. Last week, I worked Friday night, got home around 0600, filed some reports,, did some needed household chores, and got to bed around 0800. Back up around 2:00 pm, more chores and some "us" time with Dear Wife, then into the shower, pack a lunch, and off to work all night. Uncompensated, as always. What is German for "many broken promises"? Should be the company name, it certainly seems to be the motto and philosophy.

The Old Testament passage for the day is chapters 3, 4, and 5 from 1st Chronicles. Much/most of this is a record of the genealogy of some of the major figures in Hebrew history going back to the time of Jacob, and extending through the descendants of David. Not bad, if full of names we find odd. Until the last few verses. Then things get bad, and raiders take captives. All because, as the verse reads,

25 And they transgressed against the God of their fathers, and went a whoring after the gods of the people of the land, whom God destroyed before them.

Verses like that always worry me. It can happen again, and it could be fairly said of our own nation and culture.

I Chronicles 3

1	Now these were the sons of David, which were born unto him in Hebron; the firstborn Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess:
2	The third, Absalom the son of Maachah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur: the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith:
3	The fifth, Shephatiah of Abital: the sixth, Ithream by Eglah his wife.
4	These six were born unto him in Hebron; and there he reigned seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years.
5	And these were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four, of Bathshua the daughter of Ammiel:
6	Ibhar also, and Elishama, and Eliphelet,
7	And Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia,
8	And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine.
9	These were all the sons of David, beside the sons of the concubines, and Tamar their sister.
10	And Solomon's son was Rehoboam, Abia his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son,
11	Joram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son,
12	Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son,
13	Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son,
14	Amon his son, Josiah his son.
15	And the sons of Josiah were, the firstborn Johanan, the second Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, the fourth Shallum.
16	And the sons of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah his son, Zedekiah his son.
17	And the sons of Jeconiah; Assir, Salathiel his son,
18	Malchiram also, and Pedaiah, and Shenazar, Jecamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah.
19	And the sons of Pedaiah were, Zerubbabel, and Shimei: and the sons of Zerubbabel; Meshullam, and Hananiah, and Shelomith their sister:
20	And Hashubah, and Ohel, and Berechiah, and Hasadiah, Jushabhesed, five.
21	And the sons of Hananiah; Pelatiah, and Jesaiah: the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, the sons of Shechaniah.
22	And the sons of Shechaniah; Shemaiah: and the sons of Shemaiah; Hattush, and Igeal, and Bariah, and Neariah, and Shaphat, six.
23	And the sons of Neariah; Elioenai, and Hezekiah, and Azrikam, three.
24	And the sons of Elioenai were, Hodaiah, and Eliashib, and Pelaiah, and Akkub, and Johanan, and Dalaiah, and Anani, seven.

I Chronicles 4

1	The sons of Judah; Pharez, Hezron, and Carmi, and Hur, and Shobal.
2	And Reaiah the son of Shobal begat Jahath; and Jahath begat Ahumai, and Lahad. These are the families of the Zorathites.
3	And these were of the father of Etam; Jezreel, and Ishma, and Idbash: and the name of their sister was Hazelelponi:
4	And Penuel the father of Gedor, and Ezer the father of Hushah. These are the sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah, the father of Bethlehem.
5	And Ashur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah.
6	And Naarah bare him Ahuzam, and Hepher, and Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the sons of Naarah.
7	And the sons of Helah were, Zereth, and Jezoar, and Ethnan.
8	And Coz begat Anub, and Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel the son of Harum.
9	And Jabez was more honorable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.
10	And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.
11	And Chelub the brother of Shuah begat Mehir, which was the father of Eshton.
12	And Eshton begat Bethrapha, and Paseah, and Tehinnah the father of Irnahash. These are the men of Rechah.
13	And the sons of Kenaz; Othniel, and Seraiah: and the sons of Othniel; Hathath.
14	And Meonothai begat Ophrah: and Seraiah begat Joab, the father of the valley of Charashim; for they were craftsmen.
15	And the sons of Caleb the son of Jephunneh; Iru, Elah, and Naam: and the sons of Elah, even Kenaz.
16	And the sons of Jehaleleel; Ziph, and Ziphah, Tiria, and Asareel.
17	And the sons of Ezra were, Jether, and Mered, and Epher, and Jalon: and she bare Miriam, and Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa.
18	And his wife Jehudijah bare Jered the father of Gedor, and Heber the father of Socho, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah. And these are the sons of Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh, which Mered took.
19	And the sons of his wife Hodiah the sister of Naham, the father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maachathite.
20	And the sons of Shimon were, Amnon, and Rinnah, Benhanan, and Tilon. And the sons of Ishi were, Zoheth, and Benzoheth.
21	The sons of Shelah the son of Judah were, Er the father of Lecah, and Laadah the father of Mareshah, and the families of the house of them that wrought fine linen, of the house of Ashbea,
22	And Jokim, and the men of Chozeba, and Joash, and Saraph, who had the dominion in Moab, and Jashubilehem. And these are ancient things.
23	These were the potters, and those that dwelt among plants and hedges: there they dwelt with the king for his work.
24	The sons of Simeon were, Nemuel, and Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, and Shaul:
25	Shallum his son, Mibsam his son, Mishma his son.
26	And the sons of Mishma; Hamuel his son, Zacchur his son, Shimei his son.
27	And Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters: but his brethren had not many children, neither did all their family multiply, like to the children of Judah.
28	And they dwelt at Beersheba, and Moladah, and Hazarshual,
29	And at Bilhah, and at Ezem, and at Tolad,
30	And at Bethuel, and at Hormah, and at Ziklag,
31	And at Bethmarcaboth, and Hazarsusim, and at Bethbirei, and at Shaaraim. These were their cities unto the reign of David.
32	And their villages were, Etam, and Ain, Rimmon, and Tochen, and Ashan, five cities:
33	And all their villages that were round about the same cities, unto Baal. These were their habitations, and their genealogy.
34	And Meshobab, and Jamlech, and Joshah, the son of Amaziah,
35	And Joel, and Jehu the son of Josibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel,
36	And Elioenai, and Jaakobah, and Jeshohaiah, and Asaiah, and Adiel, and Jesimiel, and Benaiah,
37	And Ziza the son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah;
38	These mentioned by their names were princes in their families: and the house of their fathers increased greatly.
39	And they went to the entrance of Gedor, even unto the east side of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks.
40	And they found fat pasture and good, and the land was wide, and quiet, and peaceable; for they of Ham had dwelt there of old.
41	And these written by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and smote their tents, and the habitations that were found there, and destroyed them utterly unto this day, and dwelt in their rooms: because there was pasture there for their flocks.
42	And some of them, even of the sons of Simeon, five hundred men, went to mount Seir, having for their captains Pelatiah, and Neariah, and Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi.
43	And they smote the rest of the Amalekites that were escaped, and dwelt there unto this day.

I Chronicles 5

1	Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn; but forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright.
2	For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler; but the birthright was Joseph's:)
3	The sons, I say, of Reuben the firstborn of Israel were, Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
4	The sons of Joel; Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son,
5	Micah his son, Reaia his son, Baal his son,
6	Beerah his son, whom Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria carried away captive: he was prince of the Reubenites.
7	And his brethren by their families, when the genealogy of their generations was reckoned, were the chief, Jeiel, and Zechariah,
8	And Bela the son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel, who dwelt in Aroer, even unto Nebo and Baalmeon:
9	And eastward he inhabited unto the entering in of the wilderness from the river Euphrates: because their cattle were multiplied in the land of Gilead.
10	And in the days of Saul they made war with the Hagarites, who fell by their hand: and they dwelt in their tents throughout all the east land of Gilead.
11	And the children of Gad dwelt over against them, in the land of Bashan unto Salcah:
12	Joel the chief, and Shapham the next, and Jaanai, and Shaphat in Bashan.
13	And their brethren of the house of their fathers were, Michael, and Meshullam, and Sheba, and Jorai, and Jachan, and Zia, and Heber, seven.
14	These are the children of Abihail the son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz;
15	Ahi the son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, chief of the house of their fathers.
16	And they dwelt in Gilead in Bashan, and in her towns, and in all the suburbs of Sharon, upon their borders.
17	All these were reckoned by genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel.
18	The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skillful in war, were four and forty thousand seven hundred and threescore, that went out to the war.
19	And they made war with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and Nephish, and Nodab.
20	And they were helped against them, and the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that were with them: for they cried to God in the battle, and he was intreated of them; because they put their trust in him.
21	And they took away their cattle; of their camels fifty thousand, and of sheep two hundred and fifty thousand, and of asses two thousand, and of men an hundred thousand.
22	For there fell down many slain, because the war was of God. And they dwelt in their steads until the captivity.
23	And the children of the half tribe of Manasseh dwelt in the land: they increased from Bashan unto Baalhermon and Senir, and unto mount Hermon.
24	And these were the heads of the house of their fathers, even Epher, and Ishi, and Eliel, and Azriel, and Jeremiah, and Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty men of valor, famous men, and heads of the house of their fathers.
25	And they transgressed against the God of their fathers, and went a whoring after the gods of the people of the land, whom God destroyed before them.
26	And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, unto this day.

This evening, verses 1-20 from chapter 8 of the Gospel of John.

John 8:1-20

1	Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.
2	And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
3	And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
4	They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
5	Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
6	This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
7	So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
8	And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
9	And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
10	When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
11	She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
12	Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
13	The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.
14	Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.
15	Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.
16	And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.
17	It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.
18	I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.
19	Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.
20	These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.

To Remember Why We Celebrate

More than 200 years ago, a radical document was published. It's still radical today, and would not be approved by our President, the majority in our Congress, much of the Supreme Court or nominees to same. It would likewise be opposed by most of academia, the rulers of our media, and the various other self-anointed shapers of the public opinion. Certainly it is anathema to the Transnational Progressivists, the North American Union crowd, the thugs in SEIU and ACORN, and of course the UN and it's spawn.
But it means a lot to some of use nonetheless.

Read it and weep for what we once had.

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. --Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his assent to laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his governors to pass laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of representation in the legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved representative houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the legislative powers, incapable of annihilation, have returned to the people at large for their exercise; the state remaining in the meantime exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavored to prevent the population of these states; for that purpose obstructing the laws for naturalization of foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migration hither, and raising the conditions of new appropriations of lands.

He has obstructed the administration of justice, by refusing his assent to laws for establishing judiciary powers.

He has made judges dependent on his will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies without the consent of our legislature.

He has affected to render the military independent of and superior to civil power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his assent to their acts of pretended legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by mock trial, from punishment for any murders which they should commit on the inhabitants of these states:

For cutting off our trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing taxes on us without our consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of trial by jury:

For transporting us beyond seas to be tried for pretended offenses:

For abolishing the free system of English laws in a neighboring province, establishing therein an arbitrary government, and enlarging its boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule in these colonies:

For taking away our charters, abolishing our most valuable laws, and altering fundamentally the forms of our governments:

For suspending our own legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated government here, by declaring us out of his protection and waging war against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burned our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to complete the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow citizens taken captive on the high seas to bear arms against their country, to become the executioners of their friends and brethren, or to fall themselves by their hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare, is undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms: our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have we been wanting in attention to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war, in peace friends.

We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, and by the authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as free and independent states, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.

Today's Readings -- 22 June 2010

Good morning.
Very short shrift this morning, too much going on, too long a night, too short a snooze, and a doctor appointment coming early.

This morning, chapters 4-6 of Esther

Esther 4

1 When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;
2 And came even before the king's gate: for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.
3 And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
4 So Esther's maids and her chamberlains came and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not.
5 Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was.
6 So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which was before the king's gate.
7 And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.
8 Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people.
9 And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.
10 Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai;
11 All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or women, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.
12 And they told to Mordecai Esther's words.
13 Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.
14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
15 Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,
16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
17 So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.

Esther 5

1 Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.
2 And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.
3 Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.
4 And Esther answered, If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him.
5 Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther hath said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
6 And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed.
7 Then answered Esther, and said, My petition and my request is;
8 If I have found favour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do to morrow as the king hath said.
9 Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai.
10 Nevertheless Haman refrained himself: and when he came home, he sent and called for his friends, and Zeresh his wife.
11 And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.
12 Haman said moreover, Yea, Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and to morrow am I invited unto her also with the king.
13 Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate.
14 Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.

Esther 6

1 On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.
2 And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.
3 And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him.
4 And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king's house, to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.
5 And the king's servants said unto him, Behold, Haman standeth in the court. And the king said, Let him come in.
6 So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself?
7 And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honour,
8 Let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head:
9 And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth to honour, and bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour.
10 Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken.
11 Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour.
12 And Mordecai came again to the king's gate. But Haman hasted to his house mourning, and having his head covered.
13 And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends every thing that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him.
14 And while they were yet talking with him, came the king's chamberlains, and hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet that Esther had prepared.

This evening, verses 17-42 of Acts 5.

Acts 5:17-42

17 Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation,
18 And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.
19 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,
20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
21 And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.
22 But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned and told,
23 Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.
24 Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.
25 Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.
26 Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.
27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
28 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.
29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.
31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.
33 When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.
34 Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;
35 And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.
36 For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.
37 After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.
38 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:
39 But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.
40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.