11 July 2011

Today's Readings -- 11 July 2011

Sorry for the gap in coverage. Things have been a bit wild.

This morning's reading is Psalms 4, 5, and 6

1
Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.
2
O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.
3
But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him.
4
Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
5
Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD.
6
There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
7
Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.
8
I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.


1
Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation.
2
Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray.
3
My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
4
For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.
5
The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.
6
Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.
7
But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.
8
Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.
9
For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.
10
Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee.
11
But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.
12
For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.


1
O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.
2
Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed.
3
My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long?
4
Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies' sake.
5
For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?
6
I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears.
7
Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.
8
Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping.
9
The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer.
10
Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed: let them return and be ashamed suddenly.




This evening, verses 16-4o of Acts 16
16
And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
17
The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.
18
And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
19
And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,
20
And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,
21
And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.
22
And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
23
And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
24
Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
25
And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
26
And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
27
And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
28
But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
29
Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
30
And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
32
And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
33
And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
34
And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
35
And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go.
36
And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace.
37
But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out.
38
And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans.
39
And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city.
40
And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.

We're Back

in the event that anyone has been following this, we've been on an extended out-of-town trip to see family. About 2300 miles all told, what with the near-thousand mile distance each way, and some excursions while there. Got back late Saturday, even slept in and missed church Sunday.

Now we expect to be Back At It when Monday morning wobbles into sight.

Should be an interesting week. One of Dear Wife's co-workers got The Axe last Thursday, for the "crime" of Being White. You read that right. She (and, Dear Wife so far) have been working for an NGO in the area, one that receives some amount of so-called "Federal money". And the demographics, racial in other words, of the staff there is supposed (by recently announced fed standards) to closely match the racial demographics of the city. And they were, evidently, one over the "allowable" number/percentage of the melanin-challenged. So Beth got "excessed". Someone needs to explain how this is not racial discrimination. Smells like it to me.

One wants to be charitable. Sometimes it is hard to be so.

Dear Wife is wondering why we came back. Answers are hard to find.