21 September 2013

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Saturday, 21 September 2013

VERY short shrift and running late.  We're packing -- and tossing -- still.  The tossing comes about because, mostly, two daughters who once lived here with us, don't.  And they left a LOT of stuff behind.  Some we'll keep - baby shoes, pictures, etc.  One left a raft of clothes, some quite nice, some never worn, she no longer wants.  Some is going to Goodwill, some is going to a friend who has a flea market booth and has been a big help to us.  She is the one who used to work with Dear Wife, until she was fired for the "crime' of Being White.  Sorry.  True.  So she's had a tough time of it, we help when we can.  This is one way.
And of course, some stuff is getting "tossed". 


Tomorrow should be our last Sunday at our little church here.   I've been THE adult Bible teacher for most of the last six years, it's been a joy to me.  Time for someone else now.  We will miss these people, they've been wonderful, a real blessing.

This morning, chapters 1, 2, 3 in the Song of Solomon.  Really should be read out loud.  Try it, you'll see what I mean.

1
The song of songs, which is Solomon's.
2
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.
3
Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee.
4
Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.
5
I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
6
Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.
7
Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?
8
If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents.
9
I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots.
10
Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold.
11
We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver.
12
While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof.
13
A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts.
14
My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi.
15
Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes.
16
Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green.
17
The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.


1
I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.
2
As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.
3
As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.
4
He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.
5
Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love.
6
His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me.
7
I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.
8
The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.
9
My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice.
10
My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.
11
For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;
12
The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;
13
The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.
14
O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.
15
Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.
16
My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.
17
Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.


1
By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.
2
I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.
3
The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?
4
It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.
5
I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.
6
Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?
7
Behold his bed, which is Solomon's; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel.
8
They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.
9
King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon.
10
He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the covering of it of purple, the midst thereof being paved with love, for the daughters of Jerusalem.
11
Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.




---==================

This evening, chapter 12 in 2nd Corinthians.

1
It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
2
I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.
3
And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
4
How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
5
Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
6
For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.
7
And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
8
For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
9
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
11
I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.
12
Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.
13
For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.
14
Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not your's but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
15
And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
16
But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.
17
Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?
18
I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?
19
Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.
20
For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:
21
And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.

20 September 2013

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Friday, 20 September 2013

early start but short shrift.  Trying to get an early start before the heat of the day.  We are in Lower Alabama, and even though we are almost to the first day of Autumn, the old Autumnal Equinox, the temperature today is supposed to hit 90 F.  Where we're going to be, Lord willing, in another week or so, will probably be about 20 degrees F below that.  Should be quite a change.  The heat is hard on Dear Wife -- the air conditioning failure we experienced 3-1/2 years ago (closer to 4 now) has not been a help, and neither have the steroids that she must take to counteract the effects of the lupus she suffers from.
So we're going to try to Git 'er Done.

This morning, Ecclesiastes 10, 11, and 12, completing this work for the year.

1
Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.
2
A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
3
Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.
4
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.
5
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:
6
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
7
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
8
He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
9
Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.
10
If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
11
Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
12
The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
13
The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
14
A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
15
The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.
16
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
17
Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
18
By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
19
A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.
20
Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.


1
Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.
2
Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.
3
If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.
4
He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.
5
As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.
6
In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.
7
Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:
8
But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.
9
Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
10
Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.


1
Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
2
While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:
3
In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,
4
And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;
5
Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:
6
Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.
7
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
8
Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.
9
And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
10
The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.
11
The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
12
And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.



=========

This evening, verses 16-33 from the 11th chapter of 2nd Corinthians.

16
I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.
17
That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.
18
Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.
19
For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.
20
For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face.
21
I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also.
22
Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.
23
Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
24
Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
25
Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
26
In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
27
In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
28
Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
29
Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?
30
If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.
31
The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.
32
In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:
33
And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.


19 September 2013

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Thursday, 19 September, 2013

a bit late once again.  Got a lot done today.  Friend came by, she makes her money at a booth at a local flea market operation.  We carried out two dressers, a set of surround sound speakers, a raft of used-but-in-good-condition clothes, shoes, jackets, etc.  Makes a whole lot less for us to have to pack, only to donate to Goodwill once we get moved.  Still have a LOT to do.

In the course of all of this, we located some items that belong to our recently evicted "couch dweller", things he really should have.  So friend and wife set out to drop them at the hotel we put him in.  Only to find that he's back in the hospital.  Being a diabetic and refusing to eat, take insulin, check blood sugar, etc. is a formula for suicide.  Last time (two weeks ago) hospital was trying to get him into a local psychiatric facility. He refused, left hospital against medical advice, and the rest you know.  Don't think this will turn out well.  Meanwhile, Lord willing, we expect to be on the road no later than a week from today, and have to meet the electric company at our new digs to get power on there.  So things are moving out of our hands.

things are likely to be a bit disjointed for the next few weeks, sorry

The Old Testament passage is Ecclesiastes 7, 8, 9


1
A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.
2
It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
3
Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
4
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
7
Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.
8
Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
10
Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
11
Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.
12
For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.
13
Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
14
In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.
15
All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.
16
Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself ?
17
Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
18
It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.
19
Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
20
For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
21
Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
22
For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
23
All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
24
That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?
25
I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:
26
And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
27
Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:
28
Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
29
Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.


1
Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed.
2
I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God.
3
Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.
4
Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?
5
Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment.
6
Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him.
7
For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?
8
There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.
9
All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.
10
And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: this is also vanity.
11
Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
12
Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:
13
But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.
14
There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity.
15
Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.
16
When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes:)
17
Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea farther; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.


1
For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.
2
All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.
3
This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
4
For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
5
For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
6
Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.
7
Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.
8
Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.
9
Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.
10
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
11
I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
12
For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.
13
This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:
14
There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it:
15
Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.
16
Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
17
The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
18
Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.




===

The New Testament passage is verses 1-15 in 2nd Corinthians chapter 11

1
Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.
2
For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
3
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
4
For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
5
For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
6
But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.
7
Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?
8
I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.
9
And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.
10
As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
11
Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.
12
But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.
13
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14
And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15
Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

18 September 2013

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Wednesday, 18 September 2013

Middle of the week already.  This retirement stuff is for the birds.  After having joined the workforce back in 1969, leisure is something I don't do well.  Haven't had much practice at it, actually.  Not that I want to return to the 6-day, 70-odd-hour weeks I was holding down (for a LOW 40 hours' pay) for the last several years.  But something a bit more regular than this.  Starting to get an idea of the reason that so many people I once knew died within 6 months of retirement.  Of course, some of them hung on until they were half dead already.  Or drank themselves to death, and even some had been in training for over a period of many years.  Not me, thank you.

We continue our preparations for The Great Relocation.  I would just like for all of this to be done.  Feel like I'm in a big holding pattern until it does.The Lord has a plan for us, I know it.  What it is, well that has yet to be revealed.  One step at a time, I guess.  We shall see.

The morning's reading is chapters 4, 5, 6 from Ecclesiastes.  Solomon again.

1
So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.
2
Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.
3
Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
4
Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
5
The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
6
Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.
7
Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.
8
There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.
9
Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
10
For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
11
Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?
12
And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
13
Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.
14
For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor.
15
I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.
16
There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.


1
Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.
2
Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
3
For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.
4
When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.
5
Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
6
Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?
7
For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.
8
If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.
9
Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.
10
He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.
11
When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?
12
The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.
13
There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.
14
But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.
15
As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.
16
And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?
17
All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.
18
Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.
19
Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.
20
For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.


1
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:
2
A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
3
If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.
4
For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.
5
Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other.
6
Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?
7
All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
8
For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?
9
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
10
That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.
11
Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?
12
For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?



========

for the evening's New Testament lesson, 2nd Corinthians chapter 10

1
Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:
2
But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
3
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
4
(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
5
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
6
And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
7
Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.
8
For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:
9
That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.
10
For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.
11
Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present.
12
For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
13
But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.
14
For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ:
15
Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men's labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,
16
To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand.
17
But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
18
For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.