Today's Readings and Stuff -- Tuesday, 02 January 2018

Well, "back at it" today for a whole lot of people.  When I was still in the work world, coming back after a major holiday season was always tough.  When I was in the general field described as "automotive", there are two traditional shutdown periods.  One is over the Independence Day (July 4th for the novice) period.  At least a week.  The other normal one is over the Christmas -- New Year's period.  The business situation at the time would have some bearing on the specific dates of shutdown and startup.  So, I suspect that for most of my friends, the last day was Friday 22 December and the next startup will be next Monday, 08 January.  So a two week shutdown.  Get holiday pay for a few of those days, use accrued vacation time for the others.  Or some percentage thereof.  I used to "save" my vacation days, and use them over these times and I know that many others did likewise.  Generosity of paid holiday time varies somewhat between the various companies.  I've had experience with several, and there was variance between the firms and also year-to-year.

So a lot of people were looking with a mix of anger and resignation at the alarm clocks this morning.  And  blearily heading out the door, if not already on the job.  The roads aren't great, and the arctic blast covering a whole lot of the country, including well into the Deep South, won't help any of that.  But yesterday I made a quip about the nonsense of Global Warming and had a pastor-type scold me, he being a True Believer in Catastrophic Anthropogenic Global Warming.  Nice guy, and I do know him a bit, so I didn't want to get into one of those nasty squabbles.  But we hit 0° last night and  our "high" today is predicted to hit all of 16°, and the rest of the week won't be a whole lot above that, with some sub-zero nights.  I  hate that, and so am not particularly interested in the nonsense that the "warmists" throw around, erroneously at best.    (Friday is predicted to have a "high" of +7° and a low of -3°.  Sound warm to you?  Not me).  But today the "day" portion is said to be 45 seconds longer than yesterday was, and tomorrow to pick up 49 seconds more than that.  The "day" portion, thus, is all the way up to 9 hours 16 minutes.  So we're making progress in a strategic sense.  Day to day, on the other hand, isn't great.

Now if we were not, AGAIN, dealing with frozen pipes in our hovel.  Bathroom sink, hot and cold, both.  And, now, the tub.  I'd had both faucets cracked enough to drip.  But nothing whatever is coming out, even at full (or at least halfway) open.  For a day and a half now.  Toilet is still flushing, or was the last I checked.  Though I could hear what sounded a lot like ice crystals in the flow, so have been flushing even with no need, just to keep water moving.
Kitchen sink OK so far.  So far.  We've got a week of  horrible cold ahead of us.  Where's all that global warming???
Oh, wait.  That was earlier.  The sink dripped all night and was fine this morning. We used it, did all sorts of stuff.  So, fool that I was, I turned the taps full off. BIG mistake!  Now, both lines are frozen.  So ... no water to tub.  None to bathroom faucets.  None to kitchen sink.  None to the washing machine.  The toilet still has flow, but we have to flush it about every hour, and even then can hear ice crystals, especially if that hour stretches to two.  I have about 9 gallons of water in buckets for flushing, just in case.  And, wisely or luckily, I filled about 3 gallons of water into pitchers last night for, again, just in case.  Looks like the "in case" happened.  And that is in spite of the brooder lamp on in the space beneath place, right under the kitchen sink, or the space heater right next to that lamp.
Thermometer shows 16° right now, which almost seems warm.  Projected low tonight, +4°  Tomorrow, "high" of 23° and low of +7°.  But then ....  Thursday, "high" of +12 and low of -1°.  Friday, "high" of +7°! and low of -3°, Saturday "high" of +9° and a real low of -6°. Sunday a high of +30° and Monday supposedly all the way up to 37° which sounds downright tropical, but is also the very first temp above freezing in the next 10 day forecast.  At this point, that may be our first thaw day.  Before the global warming hits again.
There are excellent reasons that I truly did not want to live here, ever again.  But, Someone Else was in charge, and I have made a covenant to go where He sent me.  Didn't say I might not grumble just a bit.  Now what?

We have gas, so we have heat and the ability to cook and bake.  But the gas company has been on our street since early this morning.  A whole bunch of people, about four trucks and two backhoes and the trailers that haul them.  Whether it's a causative thing or not, they don't know, but our next door neighbor (niece and husband), and then two doors further up the hill (nephew-in-law's parents) were discovered to have their gas meters in their basements, which has been in violation of the state fire codes for a LOOONG time after a  horrible fire at an apartment complex in the general area that had some fatalities back in 1982.  So, the gas company people came in, dug up people's front yards, tore up lawns and landscaping, pulled the meters out and put them outside, which is where they should have been all along.  I have my doubts that these meters caused OUR problems with icing, but if they start to have problems, then the matter is uphill from them, I guess.  But this sort of thing is really not what the crew would like to be doing in sub-freezing weather.    I guess a couple of them have been pulling in some decent overtime pay, having to come out on weekends, including holiday weekends, to deal with the issues.  I hate to do it to them, but there's really no choice, is there.



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Old Testament reading:
chapters 3 and 4 in the book of Genesis.  Yes, this is truly "beginnings".  Don't fly past Genesis.  There's a whole lot here, and some things that began there, still affect our world today.  And I'm not talking just about flowers and birds.
When I look at my waistline, I think of verse 12.  Yep.  Dear Wife, like Eve, put temptation in my path.  It's not my fault!  Yes, blaming others goes back a very long way, doesn't it?  Cain was a lot like that as well.

Genesis
Chapter 3

1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
13 And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.
21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.
24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Chapter 4

1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.
2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?
10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.
11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;
12 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
13 And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear.
14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.
15 And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.
16 And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.
17 And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.
18 And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech.
19 And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.
20 And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle.
21 And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.
22 And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.
23 And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.
24 If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.
25 And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.
26 And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.

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Poetry reading:
chapter 2 of the Psalms.
As I sometimes remind people, much of the Bible, the Poetry sections in particular, and the Psalms is VERY particular, are best read out loud.  That was the purpose, after all.

Psalms
Chapter 2

1, Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.


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New Testament reading:
Chapter 2 in the Gospel of Matthew..
Laying the foundation for understanding Jesus' with respect to the earthly lineage and the fulfillment of prophecies.  Matthew was also known as Levi, and he had been one of those hated tax collectors.  Until he met the Lord.  Then things changed.

Matthew
Chapter 2

1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,
18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.
21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Monday, 01 January 2018

Happy New Year!
OK, we got that out of the way.  And I really and truly put down the right year the first time.  Might mess up tomorrow, might not.  But it's something.


Getting there.  Happy New Year to all.

The service guy from the gas company is just leaving.  Yes, we had ice in  our incoming gas line AGAIN! Our pattern of every 3 days seems to be holding.  NOT a good thing.

Today's "high" is predicted to be all of 11°.  At least that is ABOVE zero, not below.  I can remember all too well some "highs" that were below zero.  No, Spring can't come any too soon.
I heard a few days ago from a former co-worker in the Deep South.  She's originally from around Milwaukee, Wisconsin, so she knows cold.  Her husband is from the Deep South, an area not far from Atlanta.  Neither has any inclination to return up North except occasional brief visits in summer.  She told me that the South is calling to me.  Well, I do miss the weather and much of the culture.  But it's not an option, so I'll bear the cold and gray and all that stuff.  We will have several sub-zero nights, and a few days this week with "highs" in single digits.  So much for that "global warming" nonsense, a pack of lies if there ever was one.  But, today is said to have a "day" portion a whole 41 seconds longer than yesterday.  A very long way to the equinox in late March, but heading there.  Now if we can just keep the pipes from freezing. 
I understand that a whole lot of people were planning to stay up in big public venues in bitter bitter cold to watch signs of the year start.  I don't care for crowds, neither does wife, and most of this stuff doesn't impress nor interest me in the least.  Too good a target for jihadist types anyway.

Older daughter and husband had their 10th wedding anniversary this last week.  I sent congrats, got no response whatsoever.  I tried.

Considering the new year did have my mind going in a lot of directions.  New directions, new attitudes, new missions.  So, some "songs  of the day" that perhaps reflect that.

First of these is an old hymn, another of those rarely heard ones these days.  But a personal favorite, yet one that scolds me for not regularly heeding its message.  Take Time To Be Holy is the title, dating from 1882, but timeless.
The lyrics are a reproach to our busy-busy lives:

Take Time to Be Holy

William D. Longstaff, ca.1882

 Scripture: Leviticus 19:2; Ephesians 1:4

1. Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
   Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word.
   Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak,
   Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.
2. Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
   Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone.
   By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
   Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.
3. Take time to be holy, let Him be thy Guide;
   And run not before Him, whatever betide.
   In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord,
   And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word.
4. Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul,
   Each thought and each motive beneath His control.
   Thus led by His Spirit to fountains of love,
   Thou soon shalt be fitted for service above.

sounds like a good practice for all of us, every day.  Do we?  regularly?

Another came to mind while reflecting on the sermon yesterday.  Psalm 8, of course.
The Majesty And Glory Of Your Name
This is another one of those that I was at one time, several times actually, in churches in several states at that, that I was privileged to help to present.  It has a great personal meaning for me.  We used to say that there are hymns ABOUT the Lord, and there are hymns TO the Lord.  This one does both.
Another version with some discussion of the issues.


If my heart is not focused on Him, if my desire is not to be ever closer to Him, to hear His voice and to do His will, whatever it is, then whatever I do is to please me or others.  He is the source of my strength, direction, and provision.  Yes, He's worthy.



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OK, as advertised, we're going to try a different Bible reading schedule this year.  Might last out the year, might not, but it's worth a try.
For those who don't know, at one time my Bible knowledge was about "average".  Meaning not very good.  Somehow along the line, while living in East Tennessee in the 1990's, I was nominated into and became a member of the Gideons organization.  To their credit, they realized that a lot of entrants were no better grounded in the Word than I, and handed each of us a schedule of "suggested" reading that would take a person through the Bible in a year.  I'd really never done it, and I started.  And have tried hard to keep up with that daily reading ever since around 1995 or so.  When I started this blog, one of my intents was to publish that schedule and to do those readings every day.  The discipline of it has been good for me, and a few people have let me know that they find it useful.  I believe that if we approach the Bible reverently, prayerfully, and intentionally, the Lord will help and will let us see the connections and the pattern.  I think it's important, and I think that He honors our commitment.  And lives have been changed thereby, mine included.

So.  This will be in three parts.  The Old Testament reading, 2 chapters every day.  The Poetry reading, one chapter every weekday, beginning with Psalm 1.  And one chapter in the New Testament every weekday, beginning with chapter 1 in the Gospel of Matthew.  In the main, these will be taken from the King James 1611 version.  I am not a KJV-only fanatic, but some are.  You are free to note the days' reading and use, say, the Holman, the New King James, the ESV or indeed, any of several others.

So, without further ado:

Old Testament

By the way, I think that all of us have some favorite Bible verses.  John 3:16 comes to mind, for example   But in the same handful, I personally list Genesis 1:1.  "In the beginning, GOD!.....".  If only we, if only I, could keep that the priority!  "He must increase, I must decrease" is a good policy, always. 

Genesis 1

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. 6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. 7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. 8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. 9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. 11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And the evening and the morning were the third day. 14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: 15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. 16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. 17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, 18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. 19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day. 20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. 21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. 23 And the evening and the morning were the fifth day. 24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. 25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. 30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. 31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Genesis 2

1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. 4 These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, 5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. 6 But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. 7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. 8 And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. 10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. 11 The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; 12 And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone. 13 And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia. 14 And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates. 15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. 18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. 19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. 20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. 21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. 25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

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Poetry

Good rule for living every day.

Psalm 1

1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

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New Testament

Matthew 1

1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; 3 And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; 4 And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon; 5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; 6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias; 7 And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; 8 And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias; 9 And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias; 10 And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias; 11 And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon: 12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel; 13 And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor; 14 And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud; 15 And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob; 16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. 17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations. 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. 20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. 24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

 

 

 

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Sunday, 31 December 2017

Well, the end of the year has arrived.  Tomorrow shall, Lord willing, see us well and truly into the new year.  Seems impossible, somehow, but that's what the calendar page says.
So, I sincerely wish all a safe, joyous, happy, and blessed 2018.  May we do better than we did in 2018.

It's a bit wistful for me.  If I may be permitted to be a little bit inward-focused for a bit.
Eighteen years ago, we were nearing the end of the years whose number began with 19--.  Yes, while it seems an impossibly long time ago, 1999 was just 18 years ago now.  We had just moved.  Again.  From our little house, the first house we'd ever owned, on the edge of Maryville, Tennessee, in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains outside of Knoxville, we had moved.  That was and is a lovely area, the people wonderful.  The first time in my life that I had ever really been happy where I lived.  But when my employer was sold out from under those of us who had been recruited from elsewhere to build something great (sounds, now, like the builders of Babel), getting out while the getting was good seemed like wisdom.  As it turned out, we were right in that.  (We still hear from friends there, including some former co-workers).
So, we moved into a lovely house we bought right on the Oklahoma-Arkansas line.  Again, recruited to build a new division in an existing facility, with great plans.  (Building is standing empty now, several retrenchments and astonishing levels of corporate and local incompetence).  With all the warnings and hoopla about the "Y2K bug" which, we were warned, would lead to horrible power outages that would take months to repair, warnings of hungry crazed people wandering the streets like a zombie apocalypse, and the winter weather even in that relatively warm climate (warmer than where I now sit), disaster was foretold.  The new house had a real working fireplace that was capable of heating the place in case of need, and we had a good supply of firewood ready to go.  I had moved the family, taking them in the middle of the school year away from their friends and neighbors, promising them a better life there.  Things seemed to be on an upward trajectory.
Lots can happen in eighteen years.  Less than five years later, we were picking up and moving again.  Wrenching my family away, again.  That operation was closing, as the major supplier moved to Mexico and my previous efforts to develop new products were stymied by local management (after some heads were chopped, generally the wrong ones) who had decreed that only efforts on behalf of that now-departed customer were permitted.  Those folks got "golden parachutes".  I didn't..  Again, people scattered to the winds.
Several similar disasters awaited us.  Had I known that in advance, utter despair would probably have set in.  God carried us through them, all the way to today.  I am grateful.
Now, before every single one of those several moves (and there are several I have not listed), I earnestly sought the Lord, asking Him to make His will known so that I might follow without error (or fear).  I believe that He had a purpose to all of this, and several things were accomplished that certainly could not have been, had we not had this bumpy journey.
But I confess that I'd like to have back that sense of progress and being surrounded by those I love so much that I had that night.  Is that so wrong?

Wife was not doing well last night.  Perhaps today will be better.  The "day" will be a whole 37 seconds longer than yesterday, so we're picking up speed.  But the weather the next 10 days can only be described as lousy.  But there is a lot of that going on.  Wife has an honorary sister whose son lives in Butte, Montana.  He loves it there, though the winter is longer, colder, and has lots more snow than here.  I wish him well of it.  But not for me, not at all.

Today, being the end of the year, is also a good day to adjust one's attitude and thinking, to try to set some direction for the coming year(s).  I believe, despite it all, that I am where I am because that is the Lord's will, that He has a mission in mind.  What it is, I do not know, but desperately need to discover.  That will be a big part of my mental exercise for today and tomorrow.

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Our Old Testament reading is the book of Malachi, finishing our schedule for the year.

Malachi 1

1 The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi. 2 I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob, 3 And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. 4 Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever. 5 And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel. 6 A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? 7 Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible. 8 And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts. 9 And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the LORD of hosts. 10 Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. 11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts. 12 But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible. 13 Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD. 14 But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the LORD a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.

Malachi 2

1 And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you. 2 If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart. 3 Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it. 4 And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. 5 My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name. 6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity. 7 For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. 8 But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. 9 Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law. 10 Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers? 11 Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god. 12 The LORD will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts. 13 And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand. 14 Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. 15 And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. 16 For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously. 17 Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?

Malachi 3

1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. 2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: 3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. 4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years. 5 And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts. 6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. 7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return? 8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. 12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts. 13 Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee? 14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts? 15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered. 16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. 17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. 18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

Malachi 4

1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. 3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts. 4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. 5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: 6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

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Our New Testament reading is the last chapter in the Revelation, chapter 22.  Please pay attention to it.

Revelation 22

1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. 5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. 6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. 7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. 8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. 9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. 10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. 11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. 12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. 13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. 14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. 16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. 18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. 20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. 21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Saturday, 30 December 2017

(I nearly put 2018 down!)

Pretty close to the end of the year now.  Day and a half to go.
We got up late, Wife had a less-than-wonderful night so when she did get to sleep, I let her and tried to not disturb her.  But we have heat and water and each other.  And food.
Yesterday had its "fun" moments.  Heat and water, yes.  I got up and started laundry.  Our dryer doesn't dry any more, but lots of her stuff is made of those fabrics that the ladies seem to want, meaning you are forbidden to do anything other than line dry them.  So we bought one of those drying racks, and so lots of her stuff was placed on it or on hangers hanging from the shower door rail.  The other stuff, like MY shirts and jeans and towels, etc. I washed and stuffed into hampers and hauled to a nearby laundromat and dried.  Not so bad, less than an hour in there: when you can use four or five dryers at once rather than one, it goes quick. 
While there, I spent time reading an "e-book" available free from the public library, so not too bad.  Then went to a nearby grocery and picked up some chili seasoning.
Came home and unpacked and folded clothes and did all that stuff.  Wife felt well enough to cook something, so she'd gotten out some ground beef we'd lucked into in a recent store promotion and stuck in the freezer the night before.  I hauled out the BIG crock pot and some cans of beans (also from a sale some months back).  She made a BIG pot of chili.  And cornbread in a cast iron skillet.  So "lunch' wasn't until around 5:30, but worth it.   We put up the leftover chili in some containers and stuck them in the freezer.  Enough there for five more meals for the two of us.  And the leftover cornbread went into a big container and we stuck it in the unheated laundry room.  As good as a refrigerator and free.

But, in the middle of it, we started to hear that awful "whistling" noise out of the heater.  Bad sign.  Called the gas company,  Two trucks came out.  And, again, water/ice in the incoming gas line.  I was standing by when they de-coupled the pipe from the street to the meter outside, the inside of the pipe had a good 1/4 inch of ice all around the INSIDE of the pipe.  Again, the poor guys had to turn off all our gas out at the road while dealing with the issue.  But they got it remedied, probably OK for the next 3 days or so.  No fun, we're looking at lows around +1° or so for the next week or two.  Yuck!!

I did a raft of dishes, did my every-single-night routine of massaging her foot.  The surgery was in September.  Of 2015!!  Still not healed, and constant pain and bruising and swelling.  Not helped by the chronic vasculitis.  Or that her body, particularly in the extremities, has very poor circulation and also doesn't produce skin oil. So her feet get cold, which is not only very uncomfortable, but also dangerous -- we don't want her to be losing toes.  And the skin gets leathery dry.  So daily I put some cortisone cream on a chronic psoriasis spot, then  put an over-the-counter mix of Aspercreme and Lidocaine (works well and relatively inexpensive) on the sore regions, then put a lotion (Eucerin works well) all over the soles of both feet and the one ankle as well.  Every day.

All of it had to be done.  But not much of it was consistent with my night-before determination to make it a day of prayer and Bible study.  Happens.  Happens too often.

I'm told we are at 21° now, with the predicted "high" of 19°.  Must be that global warming stuff.

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The reading in the Old Testament is chapters 13 and 14 in the book of Zechariah, completing it.

Zechariah 13

1 In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness. 2 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land. 3 And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the LORD: and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth. 4 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive: 5 But he shall say, I am no prophet, I am an husbandman; for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth. 6 And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. 7 Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones. 8 And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. 9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

Zechariah 14

1 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. 2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 3 Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 5 And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. 6 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: 7 But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light. 8 And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. 9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one. 10 All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin's gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king's winepresses. 11 And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited. 12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. 13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour. 14 And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance. 15 And so shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the ass, and of all the beasts that shall be in these tents, as this plague. 16 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. 17 And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. 18 And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. 19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. 20 In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD's house shall be like the bowls before the altar. 21 Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts.

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The New Testament reading today is chapter 21 in the Revelation.

Revelation 21

1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. 9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. 10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; 12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. 16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. 17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. 18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. 19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; 20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. 22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. 25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. 26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. 27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.