ruminate and move

Got a new blog in WordPress. I hate to say goodbye to Blogger since it has been a good companion when I needed one last year. So I decided to still keep it.

Sadly though, I cannot anymore maintain for it will become quite tedious in my part to scatter my thoughts on these three blogs if I will not give this and this up.

All right then, maybe it's indeed time to move on and improve continuously. I cannot forever be a schizo... harhar.

Anyway, before I sever the tie between me and my beloved Blogger, I'd like to post this beautiful article written by Pastor Rick Warren. Quite cool.

Don't date because you are desperate.

Don't marry because you are miserable.

Don't have kids because you think your genes are superior.

Don't philander because you think you are irresistible.


Don't associate with people you can't trust.

Don't cheat. Don't lie. Don't pretend.

Don't dictate because you are smarter.

Don't demand because you are stronger.


Don't sleep around because you think you are old enough & know better.

Don't hurt your kids because loving them is harder.

Don't sell yourself, your family, or your ideals.

Don't stagnate!


Don't regress.

Don't live in the past. Time can't bring anything or anyone back.

Don't put your life on hold for possibly Mr. Right.

Don't throw your life away on absolutely Mr. Wrong because your biological clock is ticking.

Learn a new skill.

Find a new friend.

Start a new career. Sometimes, there is no race to be won, only a price to be paid for some of life's more hasty decisions.


To terminate your loneliness, reach out to the homeless.

To feed your nurturing instincts, care for the needy.

To fulfill your parenting fantasies, get a puppy.

Don't bring another life into this world for all the wrong reasons.

To make yourself happy, pursue your passions & be the best of what you can be.

Simplify your life. Take away the clutter.

Get rid of destructive elements: abusive friends, nasty habits, and dangerous liaisons.

Don't abandon your responsibilities but don't overdose on duty.


Don't live life recklessly without thought and feeling for your family.

Be true to yourself. Don't commit when you are not ready.

Don't keep others waiting needlessly.


Go on that trip. Don't postpone it.

Say those words. Don't let the moment pass.

Do what you have to, even at society's scorn.


Write poetry.

Love Deeply.

Walk barefoot.

Dance with wild abandon.

Cry at the movies.


Take care of yourself. Don't wait for someone to take care of you.

You light up your life. You drive yourself to your destination.

No one completes you - except YOU.


It isn't true that life does not get easier with age.

It only gets more challenging.

Don't be afraid. Don't lose your capacity to love.

Pursue your passions.


Live your dreams.

Don't lose faith in God.

Don't grow old. Just grow YOU!


When you give someone your time, you are giving them a portion of your life that you'll never get back.

Your time is your life. That is why the greatest gift you can give to someone is your time.

Relationships take time and effort, and the best way to spell love is T-I-M-E because the essence of love is not what we think or do or provide for others,

But how much we give of ourselves

***

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defiNinG bLoG

a blog is

a snippet of your existence
a line that divides fantasy and realism
a trash bin of your frustration
a collection of memoirs of people inside you
a catalyst
a joyous journey through your mind
another window of your soul
an hour glass
a conscious dreaming
a picture
a word
gazillion conversations
a portal
a closed door


... a connection to yourself and to other people
... it is what it is depending on its content
... it is what it is how you write on it not how you make it seems to be

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alienation vs. connectedness

Nice is the Antidote to Office Politics

OP: Some people identify being good at office politics as being mean-spirited. Do you believe you can be nice and still be skilled at office politics? Can you conquer office politics by being nice?
Linda Kaplan Thaler: It may seem somewhat counterintuitive, but being nice can be the most effective tool for success when dealing with office politics. Fundamentally, office politics are typically used with the objective of trying to gain an advantage in the work environment.
While we all share this goal of striving to get ahead, instead of expending lots of negative energy
rushing to grab a slice of the pie for yourself, think about how you can broaden your horizons and bake a bigger pie so everyone gets a piece. When you bake a bigger pie, its the ultimate win-win situation. You get more of what you want and feel better about what you're doing and you create a new recipe for success.

for more office politics remedy...
please see
http://www.officepolitics.com/advice/?
p=85.


honestly speaking, i cannot relate to this post, not that it was badly worded where it's in fact has its own good points and very inspiring... but these two reasons hinder me as to identify with this scenario:

the first reason is that:

there's no politics of any sort that exists in our office basically because of the second reason...

most of them speak in Chinese language...

no matter how much I twist my mind to understand them in their daily conversation, I cannot ever decode the mystery of their communicative means - definitely not until I learn to speak in Chinese, talk Chinese, walk Chinese, breathe Chinese, sleep Chinese, write Chinese, joke Chinese...

with this, I came to a conclusion that I will remain an alien to this office and to this country, albeit my lifetime stay here...(which is the last thing I'll ever do)and that will save me from being doomed, I guess.

but think again, I'd rather be doomed and involved in healthy politicking (if there exist such euphoria) than be alienated!

just monologuizing...
.

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e-book in internet... lovely

Partly overwhelmed by Amazing Grace, but more of an amazed child who had just found the yummiest candy ever, I just want to share with you an interesting book regarding the accounts of Olaudah Equiano, a former African slave, who was one the most actively involved in the British debate for the abolition of the slave trade. This book entitled "The Interesting Narrative of Olaudah Equiano" (also known as Gustavus Vassa), is the author's autobiography exposing the horrors of slavery and was believed to be the earliest known example of published writing by an African writer.

Furthermore, the book was the first influential slave autobiography which ignited the anti-slavery movement in England.

Here's the link. I got mine in e-snips though. I'll write down my review once I finished reading the book.

I just love the internet with it's free e-book.

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Indeed He's amazing

She is a cancer patient; he was an eloquent politician who changed the world. She battles illness, fears, growing sickness and emotional pain of seeing her loved ones affected by her condition, while he fought against the opposition, made up speeches and strategies to abolish what was then the prevailing inhumane system of slave trade. She physically looks frail and very ill but her strength is double than mine. He was continuously discouraged by people and politics, and by the disapproval of the bill he passed, but those did not stop him to pursue justice and his lifetime crusade to free the African slaves.

She was Sister Jane. He was William Wilberforce. Both I have known yesterday and both created an impact in my life and in my faith.

Sister Jane is my church mate in FCCD (Filipino Christian Church of Dubai) and I already saw her before but was not given the chance to talk to her lengthily as she belongs to another cell group and ministry. Never did I took notice that she's quite thinner than among other women in our church. Her attendance dwindled and the church pastors often ask prayers for a certain 'sister Jane'. I did not know he is mentioning this jolly-eyed woman not until yesterday that sister Jane was requested to give a brief testimony for the Light Bearer's Ministry's afternoon fellowship. It was indeed brief, but every word struck me to my inner senses, every single detail astonishing, and each emphasis powerful. This woman has gone life's adversities, and is going through it everyday.

She went through an operation for her ovarian cancer and at the same time her family suffered a great deal of financial problem due to the cost of the operation. There's the possibility that she'll loss her job too. Albeit all these circumstances she voiced praises to the God who provided her the strength to go to church and testify before us that death has not scared her a bit and her life and strength is with God and most importantly, God is alive and in control. This kind of faith always swept me off my feet and makes me shed understanding tears of praises to a living God.

The second greatest person I was so blessed to get acquainted with was Mr. Wilber.
William Wilberforce (played with justice by Ioan Gruffudd) was a man of big heart, of faith so enormous and meaningful I feel as though I've been introduce to Christian faith the very first time. He gave faith a face I haven't known before.

His life is filmed in a movie entitled "Amazing Grace". Yes, it's the popular hymn originally written by John Newton, Wilberforce's, I conclude favorite, preacher. Later on, one more stanza was added to it in Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin. Addition to the lyrics was penned by John Rees.

The movie Amazing Grace centers on the life and anti-slavery campaigns of Wilberforce. He was indeed a talented public speaker of the House of Commons and one of the MP's (Members of the Parliament). Together with his lifetime friend, William Pitt 'the younger' (Benedict Cumberbatch) who also happened to be the Prime Minister of Great Britain, the youngest one ever, and the other co-antislavery trade such as Oloudaqh Equiano(Youssou N'Dour) a slave before himself, Thomas Clarkson (Rufus Sewell, "A Knight's Tale"), and Lord Charles Fox (Michael Gambon, Harry Potter's Dumbledore), they changed the history of Great Britain towards people's to enslave mindset.

Their victories haven’t come off so easy. They have to struggle and contend against many issues like those ship owners and other Members of the Parliament who were not so convinced on putting halt to slavery thus the bill Abolition of Slave Trade had not gathered so much sympathy. Praise God these guys were so creative I think marketing strategy's notion wasn't so popular until their strategies we're implemented to the public and to the other MP’s. They planned and stood steadfast on the sole purpose of their committee: to stop slave trade.

"In April 1791, Wilberforce introduced the first Parliamentary Bill to abolish the slave trade, which was easily defeated by 163 votes to 88. As Wilberforce continued to bring the issue of the slave trade before Parliament, Clarkson continued to travel and write. Between them, Clarkson and Wilberforce were responsible for generating and sustaining a national movement which mobilised public opinion as never before." (Wikipedia)


Everyone experiences at a certain point of his life when he/she was so down. Everything. Emotionally, physically, and morally. Everything seems to be in the verge of dying and one typically wallows in the hopelessness of the situation. This most of all happens when the one greatest motivation of your life seems to become a failure. Wilber was not an exception though. Famous and rich he was but his campaign was not winning and one of the members of the committee died. Everything seems to be falling in wrong places. His health deteriorated. His songs were lost to the abyss of ruination.

But what can be impossible to human terms can be possible to a living God! As one of the original lyrics of the song Amazing Grace says:

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call’d me here below,
Will be forever mine.

With this kind of faith Wilber still possesses and his long talk overnight with beautiful wife to be- Barbara- a believer of his cause, a grand twist of events took place. Wilber saw the light of hope once again and his strength was renewed by fresh events God is unfolding in his life.

Attempts to abolish the bill continued until its declaration roared a mighty approval from the Speaker of the House. Certainly, after years and years of the seemingly life-long saga, slavery in Britain was finished.

When people speak of great men, they think of men like Napoleon - men of violence. Rarely do they think of peaceful men. But contrast the reception they will receive when they return home from their battles. Napoleon will arrive in pomp and in power, a man who's achieved the very summit of earthly ambition. And yet his dreams will be haunted by the oppressions of war. William Wilberforce, however, will return to his family, lay his head on his pillow and remembers: the slave trade is no more.

---- Lord Charles Fox in Amazing Grace

"Amazing Grace"

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That sav’d a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev’d;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believ’d!

Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promis’d good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call’d me here below,
Will be forever mine.

John New­ton, Ol­ney Hymns (Lon­don: W. Ol­i­ver, 1779)

Written by John Newton - a ship captain of a transatlantic slave trade turn preacher...

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beat the evil by having an MBA

Most of the time, I’m like this. “This” refers to a thinking that I am made for bigger things, meant for beyond imagination purpose, and supposed to be in another place and in another time.

Am I not contented? Am I looking for excuses to escape my current situation? Am I really not following God’s will when I’m being like this?

Specifically, I am really contemplating on going to a graduate school pursuing an MBA in Marketing. I want to either study in London or in New York or in Canada perhaps, perfecting the craft that was given to me by God. I can feel that. I know I am above average. Not that it is only a selfish assumption boosting my ego but based on my past experiences, I know I can excel much more. I can enrich this God-given wisdom and intelligence for the expansion of God’s kingdom. Maybe after the MBA degree, I can be a real expert on Marketing and use this as a leeway for spreading the good news through different means. I mean, I’m actually talking about promoting Christianity in modern era using up to date medium. Isn’t it cool? And I’ll love to be an expert on that subject matter, equipped with unbeatable knowledge on how it is going to run.


The world out there is set in the race to be authorities on their worldly endeavors and they succeeded not because God gave them the gifts but because evil reigns and is trying to beat the children of God by promoting through different medium and various means subjects favored by the world. Let’s take for example films. I love films so much that some of them left a life changing mark on me. Film making and all the technical areas associated with it come from God. It should be used to bring back to God all the glory because all things came from Him. The artistic gifts, the technical machineries, the people… all these came from an Almighty God who wants to bring enjoyment on His creation through visual artistry. I just cannot harmonize the fact that these artistically gifted people go to extremes and make films that not only disproved of existence of God. Some would take gory and inhuman themes highlighting man’s ill nature. Why? Is this going to help people to appreciate their lives? Is it edifying? Inspiring? Will be able to help the needy? Uplift a weak soul out there? Pay homage to a one true God that created beautiful things? Beautiful soul? I don’t think so. Unless these artists have invented excuses to acquit themselves for “expressing” their “artistry”. Such a self-centered perspective of art. I can name more medium but the idea is all together the same. Misused of artistry for self-glory that highlight human’s cruelty and immoral desires.

I want some betterment to this type of society we face every single day. From music that we hear from our FM receiver/MP3 player/I-pod, to the largest billboard that hellos us each morning on the way to work or school, from the TV ads so materialistic and nothing but lies to the awesome novels which are sometimes less awesome nowadays because the antagonist has to be some sort of psycho killer who collects tooth from his myriad victims. I want to combat this kind of system. True, we cannot deny that there are heinous crimes committed by the most evil people in the world. And no one can ever negate that by showing only feel good movies or by promoting pacifism. But do some people really need to bombard the audience with cold blooded types of films, music and adverts? Not only cold blooded ones but erotic, carnal images that pollute and corrupt the minds of the people most especially the young ones. I remember what my professor in Argumentation and Debate once told us in her class, “There are indeed so many bad things that happened in our life, ugly sides that haunt us, but given this fact, do we really have to focus all our effort onto these bad areas of our lives? Instead of whining and complaining about all these, why don't we look at the good side of it?” Simple statements but remarkable. Mrs. Anabelle Kibanoff-Mercado is such a rare gem.

Anyway, my conclusion is, I still have to pray for these plans of mine. I don’t know if God will keep my life simpler than I thought learning from my life’s simplicity and complexity and those that surrounds me precious lessons that will help me to reach my goals . Or maybe God will provide grander events beyond my fantasies can ever grasp. Life clutters and complications aren’t always a sign of God’s blessing though. But then, think about it, I could it give it a shot. .

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WoW!!!!Glory be to God!!!

You know the Bible 100%!

 

Wow! You are awesome! You are a true Biblical scholar, not just a hearer but a personal reader! The books, the characters, the events, the verses - you know it all! You are fantastic!

Ultimate Bible Quiz
Create MySpace Quizzes

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Neruda's Poetry

Poetry

And it was at that age . . . poetry arrived
in search of me. I don't know, I don't know where
it came from, from winter or a river.
I don't know how or when,
no, they were not voices, they were not
words, not silence,
but from a street it called me,
from the branches of night,
abruptly from the others,
among raging fires
or returning alone,
there it was, without a face,
and it touched me.

I didn't know what to say, my mouth
had no way
with names,
my eyes were blind.
Something knocked in my soul,
fever or forgotten wings,
and I made my own way,
deciphering
that fire,
and I wrote the first, faint line,
faint, without substance, pure
nonsense,
pure wisdom
of someone who knows nothing;
and suddenly I saw
the heavens
unfastened
and open,
planets,
palpitating plantations,
the darkness perforated,
riddled
with arrows, fire, and flowers,
the overpowering night, the universe.

And I, tiny being,
drunk with the great starry
void,
likeness, image of
mystery,
felt myself a pure part
of the abyss.
I wheeled with the stars.
My heart broke loose with the wind.

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64% optimus prime

I AM
64%
OPTIMUS PRIMETake the Transformers Quiz


Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime is the heroic leader of the Autobots. He is the personification of courage, strength, and integrity. His personal motto is that “Freedom is the right of all sentient beings.”

Like Optimus Prime, you are good by nature. But beware because mischievous thoughts sometimes tempt you. You are inspiring, confident, and a natural leader. The Autobots have chosen well. In addition, you enjoy technology and are aware of the latest trends, but you stick with what works for you.

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Personality Test

Hey! Check this out :P

I'm a O88-C86-E18-A90-N14 Big Five!!

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from chris, a poetry that sounds so much like a lullaby

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Life Lessons From A Butterfly!

Life Lessons from a Butterfly

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this did not suit his taste :-(

What’s eating up your time?
Icesx

APPETIZER

T.G.I.T. Thank God it’s Thursday.

The long wait is finally over (once again). As the clock inches its way towards shouting 6:00 (or it may vary depending on your HR Manager’s or simply manager’s temper, or policies, and don’t forget the workload buddy!), the notion of a day off simply takes one’s breath away. Say bye bye to dear PC Monitor, ruined computer keyboard (this is the result of pouring out your angst on that poor board, you should have seen the lost Ctrl key, it went underneath the table to escape your wrath), jolly and almost-insane colleagues (Say genius! Isn’t it there’s a thin line between genius and insanity? So maybe the correct term must be almost genius), ok, almost-genius-colleagues for that matter, and to the path most trodden, you can say farewell to the ever loving bus stop where you wait for almost one hour for Bus No. 6 to take you to your beloved office…Bid now your Sayonara... Au revoir... Adios…Goodbye – for two days. Cease smiling just for a moment otherwise they might think you’re ‘almost a genius’ (*grin*). Now, breathe, relax, and enjoy each passing seconds of pressure-free and tension-stripped time. Float in the world of Friday (and Saturday, if you are blessed with two-day rest day) for at this very moment, you’re a breathing human again and not some mechanical android.

Now, this article is devoted to make you happy. Really. Don’t be too pessimistic and join me to make this ‘free time’ -- of yours and mine-- absolutely worthwhile. (*wink*)

Ideally, your free time will start by Thursday night. And most likely, you have devoted 30 and 2 minutes all weekday afternoon thinking of what activities to embark on or in which shopping mall has the biggest sale to go to on this most anticipated day (or night perhaps?) of the week. You also are considering your friend’s scoop of a newly opened stand up comedy bar. Or maybe a movie treat and a popcorn. Or a dinner date at… blah. I don’t want to pretend I know the places. I just dunno. (Perhaps I’m just not a dinner date-goer, or I consider eating at McDonalds a dinner date as long as it’s dinner time and as long as you’re with special someone or after all, I’m just a romantic that doesn’t believe on a dinner date, whatever.) You can also delight on your Magic Sing Karaoke Microphone & Song Chips and sing you heart out. Show off your singing prowess! Reach a high note! Achieve a head tone like what Rachel Anne Go is fond of doing. (TFC subscribers, I know so well your eagerness to watch ASAP Face off or The Champs segment of ASAP for R.A. GO sing on the top of her lungs.) Come on dude! Filipinos are not musically gifted for nothing. Just be sure you don’t go bashing someone else’s eardrums. That’s cruelty. They too want to enjoy their Thursday night in the comfort of their own homes and not in some pocket-emptying hospital you know.

The list can be endless. There’s too much you want to accomplish aside from sewing your torn sleeves, sweeping the million fallen hairs in the living room and cooking Adobo (*adobo, yum yum!*). You want to treat yourself of something extraordinary. Extra special. Exceptionally enjoyable that’s ... loads of fun and memorable. I have one cool activity in my mind that really matches these criteria you’re looking for. Hold your breath…. Tadah! Attending a cell group!


MAIN COURSE

So much for my introduction, (sorry, it’s relatively lengthy) let’s get down to top three reasons why you should join a cell group.

Extraordinary.

I met quite a lot of people since I was on my kindergarten school. A number of them are really interesting. Some just plainly smile; others would perform strange stunts such as jumping, wrestling, rock climbing and mountain climbing. (Jumping? Strange? Duh.) A lot of people want to always talk and talk and talk and simply talk. Few speak of substance. There are also those who hear from the talker. Few are listeners. Only handfuls are doers. Some are very active. Some are meek. For me, I would never get tired of observing people. Diversity of attitude, personalities and characters is one of the most interesting and extraordinary thing that exists in this world. And I tell you dear readers, the jewels lie in groups called cell group who are of diverse and distinctive personalities but united with one burning passion: Jesus. Know them. They are worth your effort.

Extra Special

Want to attain a special power? (Ding, ang bato!!! Hehehe…)

Here’s the extra special power you can always have: God’s Word.

"The Word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires." Hebrews 4:12 NLT

People who have joined cell groups delve on subjects that talk about their passion. Those topics come from the full authority of God’s own words, His precious message to His children, the Bible. Flipping the pages is entirely different from imbibing it. I always find God’s word empowering and refreshing my tired soul and mind. The world, your boss, your work, problems, and worst broken relationships could certainly zap energy out of you, but in God’s word, you will find yourself restored, alive and excited. Our daily devotions should not be forgotten, but the bond with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ can as well bring forth birth of a new understanding, a wider perspective and never heard before yet sensible and helpful Christ-centered point of views.


Exceptionally enjoyable + fun + memorable experience = Cell group

Rather than wracking your brain coming up with ideas on how to spend your Thursday night, I urge you to run to the nearest cell group in your place (ours is in Satwa, Tita Nena’s place… this is the coolest cell group I tell you, if you think I’m lying, then I challenge you to attend at least four consecutive Thursday nights to prove your accusation, and let’s see… Well, if it ain’t cool enough, you can contribute by bringing one gallon of Haagen-Dazs, then let’s talk about how to make the group cool enough to suit your taste). I remember a game Jing ‘the Golden voice’ had let us play. It’s Trivia or a Quiz regarding the Bible. Quite interesting and informative.





DESSERT

(Personally, I’ll opt for caramel or mocha-flavored cakes. I will appreciate if you can give me one. Haha!)

“Ikaw ba ay nalolongkot, nalolombay at walang magawa sa bohay?”

This was an MTV Ad in the year 1999 or 2000… I forgot. This made me laugh in its first appearance on TV. But observing the girl who was holding a phone in her right hand, boringly dialing numbers of whoever reflected a badly dull and monotonous life. (The eyes, pare, the eyes! They are freaky haunting!)

My final words would be, well… Each of us has a choice. We could spend time on things as dull, monotonous, now-happy-but-tomorrow-broke, absurd, futile time of our life just like what the girl in the ad represents. On the other hand, we can also choose to enjoy time which will let us grow spiritually, as to studying and living out God’s words in our life.

Finally, I want to quote this verse most of us, I assume, have heard before. My challenge to you, readers, is to answer one whole book of Sodoku. Hehe. Kidding. Just simply meditate on this verse and then decide on this day forward, what you are going to do on Thursday nights. I pray you had a good time pondering.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

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R for Rome

"Look! This is not a conversation!" Luke accused.

"Oh yeah?! So what do you want to call what we're doing right now? Huh?! Simultaneous Monologue?" Sarcasm in Micah's voice cannot be hidden. Her voice trembles as she opens her mouth. There's too much pain she cannot bear anymore. Just too much pain.

"I'm asking you to talk to me. No, OK... Let me rephrase that. I'm no longer asking you, I'm begging you. Can you be considerate enough to answer or at least react properly to what I'm telling you?"

It's Micah's deep sighs that only respond. Inside her mind, she's repeating the non-stop mantra of blame and hatred.

Shut up. Shut up. How dare you? Just shut up. Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. Shut up.

"This sweat is so irritating!" Luke mutters as he softly dub the Penshoppe hanky on his forehead.

In the first two months of their relationship, Luke's vanity amuses him. But it's plainly brain wracking now. She sometimes thinks Luke is a homo and their relationship is a big lie. A farce they both put up.

For Luke, it's for fame. For Micah, it's desperation. Talk about life's unfairness.

But she knows these are nonetheless mere imaginations. Micah loves Luke. And Luke, with all his vanity, his day-and-night sarcastic and ironic nagging, loves Micah with such devotion and passion Micah could never deny.

Micah knows so well Luke is just overwhelmingly concerned on halting the argument, to present precisely his point, while wiping the sweats covering his forehead, temples, and neck of course.

But Micah just didn't feel answering nor listening at all. Luke have said the key words. The very words that make Micah's heart sliced into lean pieces until those pieces of her heart were like beaten path towards doom.

"This is so unbearable!" Micah yelled five centimetres away from Luke's left ear.

"Ouch! Why do you always have to do that?" Luke tries to test his hearing while shaking his head.

"Do you want to have a deaf fiancee?"
"Maybe I'll opt for a deaf fiancee rather than a vain man who dreams to be my weighing scale." Micah looks scary with her eyes forced to be wide opened.

"Are you furious only because I told you to stop eating half gallon ice cream and two bars of Cadbury chocolate in our date?" Luke's eyebrows raise till it reaches the sky.

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conventions

I need

I need to be tall

I need to be slim

I need to have fair complexion

I need to have hairless legs and arms

I need my underarms to be hair-free and sweat-free as well

I need to have straight, shiny ,black hair

I need it to be cut perfectly

I need to have curly long eyelashes

I need to tweeze my brows every other day

I need to have clean ears and booger-free nose

I need my teeth to be as white as pearls

I need to cut my nails till they bleed

And finally, I need something or someone that will help me realize that these things I've mentioned are not the ones I really need to fix my life.

I'm dim-witted big fatty ass. I'm fat and lots of cellulites are stored in my body.
I need to start thinking in such a way where everything is positive. I need to do that and that is a gigantic challenge.

The reality of life bites badly.
It bites often and makes my teeth gnash and my head swirls as I go searching in the deeper recesses of my brain why things supposes to be like this and like that.

Going to salon and pay those hair-wreckers some... ok let me rephrase that... a bunch of your bucks for a hair so straight it looks like you'll gonna be the next member of F4, so that makes you the "5th F" (har har!), is not really something extraordinary.

It will make you look expensive and all but will not help you to be a person who'll gonna make changes on people's heart and mind.

It will only make you look presentable and pleasing to someone else's eyes.

Ah! Conventions!

You should look expensive first to be treated as expensive.

Hey, I don't want to be treated as expensive, I just want to be treated as a person!

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mumbles

Life is indeed complicated. And its complications are itching me.

As one tries to understand or at least to rationalize why certain things happen or why do people kept on hurting other people even though its crystal clear we are all humans and all have our own rights, that person will end up oxygen journeying in his nose with a wracked brain.

Yet, we, as Christians, (hello to all Christian readers out there and also to the non-Christians, you're very free to read my blog... it's indeed my pleasure...), know that everything happens for a reason and our Almighty God sees each and everyone's sufferings and afflictions.

Anyway, I'm just... er... my stomach is disturbed. I'll just gonna run for some cheese croissant.

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Apologies... apologies...

Seems like I bombarded my readers with posts from ESV. So sorry. I forgot to post these past few days... I'll do my best not to commit the same err again. Enjoy reading folks!

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Everyday in the Word: 17 June 2007

1 Kings 18
Elijah Confronts Ahab

18:1 After many days the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the earth.” 2 So Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria. 3 And Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly, 4 and when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water.) 5 And Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the valleys. Perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, and not lose some of the animals.” 6 So they divided the land between them to pass through it. Ahab went in one direction by himself, and Obadiah went in another direction by himself.

7 And as Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah met him. And Obadiah recognized him and fell on his face and said, “Is it you, my lord Elijah?” 8 And he answered him, “It is I. Go, tell your lord, ‘Behold, Elijah is here.’” 9 And he said, “How have I sinned, that you would give your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me? 10 As the Lord your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent to seek you. And when they would say, ‘He is not here,’ he would take an oath of the kingdom or nation, that they had not found you. 11 And now you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, “Behold, Elijah is here.”’ 12 And as soon as I have gone from you, the Spirit of the Lord will carry you I know not where. And so, when I come and tell Ahab and he cannot find you, he will kill me, although I your servant have feared the Lord from my youth. 13 Has it not been told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord, how I hid a hundred men of the Lord's prophets by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water? 14 And now you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, “Behold, Elijah is here”’; and he will kill me.” 15 And Elijah said, “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today.” 16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him. And Ahab went to meet Elijah.

17 When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is it you, you troubler of Israel?” 18 And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father's house, because you have abandoned the commandments of the Lord and followed the Baals. 19 Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table.”
The Prophets of Baal Defeated

20 So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal's prophets are 450 men. 23 Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. 24 And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.” 25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it.” 26 And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. 27 And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” 28 And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. 29 And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, “Israel shall be your name,” 32 and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two seahs [1] of seed. 33 And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” 34 And he said, “Do it a second time.” And they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time.” And they did it a third time. 35 And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water.

36 And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. 37 Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.” 38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.” 40 And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.” And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there.
The Lord Sends Rain

41 And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of the rushing of rain.” 42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel. And he bowed himself down on the earth and put his face between his knees. 43 And he said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” And he went up and looked and said, “There is nothing.” And he said, “Go again,” seven times. 44 And at the seventh time he said, “Behold, a little cloud like a man's hand is rising from the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.’” 45 And in a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel. 46 And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah, and he gathered up his garment and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
Acts 11
Peter Reports to the Church

11:1 Now the apostles and the brothers [2] who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, 3 “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” 4 But Peter began and explained it to them in order: 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. 6 Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. 7 And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8 But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9 But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ 10 This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. 11 And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. 12 And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man's house. 13 And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; 14 he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ 15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?” 18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
The Church in Antioch

19 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists [3] also, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. 22 The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, 24 for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. 25 So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.

27 Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). 29 So the disciples determined, everyone according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers [4] living in Judea. 30 And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
Psalm 135
Your Name, O Lord, Endures Forever

135:1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord,
give praise, O servants of the Lord,
2 who stand in the house of the Lord,
in the courts of the house of our God!
3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;
sing to his name, for it is pleasant! [5]
4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself,
Israel as his own possession.

5 For I know that the Lord is great,
and that our Lord is above all gods.
6 Whatever the Lord pleases, he does,
in heaven and on earth,
in the seas and all deeps.
7 He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth,
who makes lightnings for the rain
and brings forth the wind from his storehouses.

8 He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
both of man and of beast;
9 who in your midst, O Egypt,
sent signs and wonders
against Pharaoh and all his servants;
10 who struck down many nations
and killed mighty kings,
11 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
and Og, king of Bashan,
and all the kingdoms of Canaan,
12 and gave their land as a heritage,
a heritage to his people Israel.

13 Your name, O Lord, endures forever,
your renown, [6] O Lord, throughout all ages.
14 For the Lord will vindicate his people
and have compassion on his servants.

15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
16 They have mouths, but do not speak;
they have eyes, but do not see;
17 they have ears, but do not hear,
nor is there any breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them become like them,
so do all who trust in them!

19 O house of Israel, bless the Lord!
O house of Aaron, bless the Lord!
20 O house of Levi, bless the Lord!
You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord!
21 Blessed be the Lord from Zion,
he who dwells in Jerusalem!
Praise the Lord!
Proverbs 17:12-13

12 Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs
rather than a fool in his folly.
13 If anyone returns evil for good,
evil will not depart from his house.

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Everyday in the Word: 16 June 2007

1 Kings 15:25-17:24

Nadab Reigns in Israel

25 Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. 26 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin which he made Israel to sin.

27 Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him. And Baasha struck him down at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, for Nadab and all Israel were laying siege to Gibbethon. 28 So Baasha killed him in the third year of Asa king of Judah and reigned in his place. 29 And as soon as he was king, he killed all the house of Jeroboam. He left to the house of Jeroboam not one that breathed, until he had destroyed it, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite. 30 It was for the sins of Jeroboam that he sinned and that he made Israel to sin, and because of the anger to which he provoked the Lord, the God of Israel.

31 Now the rest of the acts of Nadab and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 32 And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
Baasha Reigns in Israel

33 In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha the son of Ahijah began to reign over all Israel at Tirzah, and he reigned twenty-four years. 34 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he made Israel to sin.

16:1 And the word of the Lord came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying, 2 “Since I exalted you out of the dust and made you leader over my people Israel, and you have walked in the way of Jeroboam and have made my people Israel to sin, provoking me to anger with their sins, 3 behold, I will utterly sweep away Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 4 Anyone belonging to Baasha who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone of his who dies in the field the birds of the heavens shall eat.”

5 Now the rest of the acts of Baasha and what he did, and his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 6 And Baasha slept with his fathers and was buried at Tirzah, and Elah his son reigned in his place. 7 Moreover, the word of the Lord came by the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha and his house, both because of all the evil that he did in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam, and also because he destroyed it.
Elah Reigns in Israel

8 In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah the son of Baasha began to reign over Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned two years. 9 But his servant Zimri, commander of half his chariots, conspired against him. When he was at Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was over the household in Tirzah, 10 Zimri came in and struck him down and killed him, in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his place.

11 When he began to reign, as soon as he had seated himself on his throne, he struck down all the house of Baasha. He did not leave him a single male of his relatives or his friends. 12 Thus Zimri destroyed all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke against Baasha by Jehu the prophet, 13 for all the sins of Baasha and the sins of Elah his son, which they sinned and which they made Israel to sin, provoking the Lord God of Israel to anger with their idols. 14 Now the rest of the acts of Elah and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
Zimri Reigns in Israel

15 In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah. Now the troops were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, 16 and the troops who were encamped heard it said, “Zimri has conspired, and he has killed the king.” Therefore all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp. 17 So Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah. 18 And when Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the king's house and burned the king's house over him with fire and died, 19 because of his sins that he committed, doing evil in the sight of the Lord, walking in the way of Jeroboam, and for his sin which he committed, making Israel to sin. 20 Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and the conspiracy that he made, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
Omri Reigns in Israel

21 Then the people of Israel were divided into two parts. Half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king, and half followed Omri. 22 But the people who followed Omri overcame the people who followed Tibni the son of Ginath. So Tibni died, and Omri became king. 23 In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for twelve years; six years he reigned in Tirzah. 24 He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents [1] of silver, and he fortified the hill and called the name of the city that he built Samaria, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill.

25 Omri did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did more evil than all who were before him. 26 For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in the sins that he made Israel to sin, provoking the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger by their idols. 27 Now the rest of the acts of Omri that he did, and the might that he showed, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 28 And Omri slept with his fathers and was buried in Samaria, and Ahab his son reigned in his place.
Ahab Reigns in Israel

29 In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. 30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him. 31 And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took for his wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him. 32 He erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria. 33 And Ahab made an Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him. 34 In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun.
Elijah Predicts a Drought

17:1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe [2] in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” 2 And the word of the Lord came to him: 3 “Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. 4 You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” 5 So he went and did according to the word of the Lord. He went and lived by the brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan. 6 And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. 7 And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.
The Widow of Zarephath

8 Then the word of the Lord came to him, 9 “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.” 11 And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” 12 And she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” 13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. 14 For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.’” 15 And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. 16 The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.
Elijah Raises the Widow's Son

17 After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill. And his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. 18 And she said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!” 19 And he said to her, “Give me your son.” And he took him from her arms and carried him up into the upper chamber where he lodged, and laid him on his own bed. 20 And he cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?” 21 Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, let this child's life [3] come into him again.” 22 And the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. 23 And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives.” 24 And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”
Acts 10:23-48

23 So he invited them in to be his guests.

The next day he rose and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. 24 And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.” 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. 28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.”

30 And Cornelius said, “Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, [4] and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ 33 So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”
Gentiles Hear the Good News

34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), 37 you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, 40 but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, 41 not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. 43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
The Holy Spirit Falls on the Gentiles

44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47 “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.
Psalm 134
Come, Bless the Lord
A Song of Ascents.

134:1 Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,
who stand by night in the house of the Lord!
2 Lift up your hands to the holy place
and bless the Lord!

3 May the Lord bless you from Zion,
he who made heaven and earth!
Proverbs 17:9-11

9 Whoever covers an offense seeks love,
but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.
10 A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
than a hundred blows into a fool.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion,
and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

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Everyday in the Word: 15 June 2007

1 Kings 14:1-15:24
Prophecy Against Jeroboam

14:1 At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick. 2 And Jeroboam said to his wife, “Arise, and disguise yourself, that it not be known that you are the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Shiloh. Behold, Ahijah the prophet is there, who said of me that I should be king over this people. 3 Take with you ten loaves, some cakes, and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what shall happen to the child.”

4 Jeroboam's wife did so. She arose and went to Shiloh and came to the house of Ahijah. Now Ahijah could not see, for his eyes were dim because of his age. 5 And the Lord said to Ahijah, “Behold, the wife of Jeroboam is coming to inquire of you concerning her son, for he is sick. Thus and thus shall you say to her.”

When she came, she pretended to be another woman. 6 But when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the door, he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why do you pretend to be another? For I am charged with unbearable news for you. 7 Go, tell Jeroboam, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: “Because I exalted you from among the people and made you leader over my people Israel 8 and tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you, and yet you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commandments and followed me with all his heart, doing only that which was right in my eyes, 9 but you have done evil above all who were before you and have gone and made for yourself other gods and metal images, provoking me to anger, and have cast me behind your back, 10 therefore behold, I will bring harm upon the house of Jeroboam and will cut off from Jeroboam every male, both bond and free in Israel, and will burn up the house of Jeroboam, as a man burns up dung until it is all gone. 11 Anyone belonging to Jeroboam who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone who dies in the open country the birds of the heavens shall eat, for the Lord has spoken it.”’ 12 Arise therefore, go to your house. When your feet enter the city, the child shall die. 13 And all Israel shall mourn for him and bury him, for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found something pleasing to the Lord, the God of Israel, in the house of Jeroboam. 14 Moreover, the Lord will raise up for himself a king over Israel who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam today. And henceforth, 15 the Lord will strike Israel as a reed is shaken in the water, and root up Israel out of this good land that he gave to their fathers and scatter them beyond the Euphrates, because they have made their Asherim, provoking the Lord to anger. 16 And he will give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, which he sinned and made Israel to sin.”

17 Then Jeroboam's wife arose and departed and came to Tirzah. And as she came to the threshold of the house, the child died. 18 And all Israel buried him and mourned for him, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke by his servant Ahijah the prophet.
The Death of Jeroboam

19 Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he warred and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. 20 And the time that Jeroboam reigned was twenty-two years. And he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his place.
Rehoboam Reigns in Judah

21 Now Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city that the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. His mother's name was Naamah the Ammonite. 22 And Judah did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins that they committed, more than all that their fathers had done. 23 For they also built for themselves high places and pillars and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree, 24 and there were also male cult prostitutes in the land. They did according to all the abominations of the nations that the Lord drove out before the people of Israel.

25 In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem. 26 He took away the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king's house. He took away everything. He also took away all the shields of gold that Solomon had made, 27 and King Rehoboam made in their place shields of bronze, and committed them to the hands of the officers of the guard, who kept the door of the king's house. 28 And as often as the king went into the house of the Lord, the guard carried them and brought them back to the guardroom.

29 Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 30 And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. 31 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. His mother's name was Naamah the Ammonite. And Abijam his son reigned in his place.
Abijam Reigns in Judah

15:1 Now in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam the son of Nebat, Abijam began to reign over Judah. 2 He reigned for three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom. 3 And he walked in all the sins that his father did before him, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father. 4 Nevertheless, for David's sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, setting up his son after him, and establishing Jerusalem, 5 because David did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. 6 Now there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. 7 The rest of the acts of Abijam and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. 8 And Abijam slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David. And Asa his son reigned in his place.
Asa Reigns In Judah

9 In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa began to reign over Judah, 10 and he reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom. 11 And Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as David his father had done. 12 He put away the male cult prostitutes out of the land and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. 13 He also removed Maacah his mother from being queen mother because she had made an abominable image for Asherah. And Asa cut down her image and burned it at the brook Kidron. 14 But the high places were not taken away. Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was wholly true to the Lord all his days. 15 And he brought into the house of the Lord the sacred gifts of his father and his own sacred gifts, silver, and gold, and vessels.

16 And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. 17 Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and built Ramah, that he might permit no one to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. 18 Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king's house and gave them into the hands of his servants. And King Asa sent them to Ben-hadad the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, who lived in Damascus, saying, 19 “Let there be a covenant [1] between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Behold, I am sending to you a present of silver and gold. Go, break your covenant with Baasha king of Israel, that he may withdraw from me.” 20 And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel and conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, and all Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali. 21 And when Baasha heard of it, he stopped building Ramah, and he lived in Tirzah. 22 Then King Asa made a proclamation to all Judah, none was exempt, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber, with which Baasha had been building, and with them King Asa built Geba of Benjamin and Mizpah. 23 Now the rest of all the acts of Asa, all his might, and all that he did, and the cities that he built, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? But in his old age he was diseased in his feet. 24 And Asa slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father, and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place.
Acts 10:1-23
Peter and Cornelius

10:1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, 2 a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. 3 About the ninth hour of the day [2] he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” 4 And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. 5 And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.” 7 When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him, 8 and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.
Peter's Vision

9 The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour [3] to pray. 10 And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance 11 and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. 13 And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” 15 And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” 16 This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.

17 Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood at the gate 18 and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. 19 And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. 20 Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them.” 21 And Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?” 22 And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say.” 23 So he invited them in to be his guests.

The next day he rose and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.
Psalm 133
When Brothers Dwell in Unity
A Song of Ascents. Of David.

133:1 Behold, how good and pleasant it is
when brothers dwell in unity! [4]
2 It is like the precious oil on the head,
running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
running down on the collar of his robes!
3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion!
For there the Lord has commanded the blessing,
life forevermore.
Proverbs 17:7-8

7 Fine speech is not becoming to a fool;
still less is false speech to a prince.
8 A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of the one who gives it;
wherever he turns he prospers.

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Everyday in the Word: 14 June 2007

1 Kings 12:20-13:34


20 And when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. There was none that followed the house of David but the tribe of Judah only.

21 When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, 180,000 chosen warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam the son of Solomon. 22 But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God: 23 “Say to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, 24 ‘Thus says the Lord, You shall not go up or fight against your relatives the people of Israel. Every man return to his home, for this thing is from me.’” So they listened to the word of the Lord and went home again, according to the word of the Lord.
Jeroboam's Golden Calves

25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. And he went out from there and built Penuel. 26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom will turn back to the house of David. 27 If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the temple of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn again to their lord, to Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.” 28 So the king took counsel and made two calves of gold. And he said to the people, “You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.” 29 And he set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. 30 Then this thing became a sin, for the people went as far as Dan to be before one. [1] 31 He also made temples on high places and appointed priests from among all the people, who were not of the Levites. 32 And Jeroboam appointed a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month like the feast that was in Judah, and he offered sacrifices on the altar. So he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he made. And he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places that he had made. 33 He went up to the altar that he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, in the month that he had devised from his own heart. And he instituted a feast for the people of Israel and went up to the altar to make offerings.
A Man of God Confronts Jeroboam

13:1 And behold, a man of God came out of Judah by the word of the Lord to Bethel. Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make offerings. 2 And the man cried against the altar by the word of the Lord and said, “O altar, altar, thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, a son shall be born to the house of David, Josiah by name, and he shall sacrifice on you the priests of the high places who make offerings on you, and human bones shall be burned on you.’” 3 And he gave a sign the same day, saying, “This is the sign that the Lord has spoken: ‘Behold, the altar shall be torn down, and the ashes that are on it shall be poured out.’” 4 And when the king heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried against the altar at Bethel, Jeroboam stretched out his hand from the altar, saying, “Seize him.” And his hand, which he stretched out against him, dried up, so that he could not draw it back to himself. 5 The altar also was torn down, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign that the man of God had given by the word of the Lord. 6 And the king said to the man of God, “Entreat now the favor of the Lord your God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me.” And the man of God entreated the Lord, and the king's hand was restored to him and became as it was before. 7 And the king said to the man of God, “Come home with me, and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward.” 8 And the man of God said to the king, “If you give me half your house, I will not go in with you. And I will not eat bread or drink water in this place, 9 for so was it commanded me by the word of the Lord, saying, ‘You shall neither eat bread nor drink water nor return by the way that you came.’” 10 So he went another way and did not return by the way that he came to Bethel.
The Prophet's Disobedience

11 Now an old prophet lived in Bethel. And his sons [2] came and told him all that the man of God had done that day in Bethel. They also told to their father the words that he had spoken to the king. 12 And their father said to them, “Which way did he go?” And his sons showed him the way that the man of God who came from Judah had gone. 13 And he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled the donkey for him and he mounted it. 14 And he went after the man of God and found him sitting under an oak. And he said to him, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?” And he said, “I am.” 15 Then he said to him, “Come home with me and eat bread.” 16 And he said, “I may not return with you, or go in with you, neither will I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place, 17 for it was said to me by the word of the Lord, ‘You shall neither eat bread nor drink water there, nor return by the way that you came.’” 18 And he said to him, “I also am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, saying, ‘Bring him back with you into your house that he may eat bread and drink water.’” But he lied to him. 19 So he went back with him and ate bread in his house and drank water.

20 And as they sat at the table, the word of the Lord came to the prophet who had brought him back. 21 And he cried to the man of God who came from Judah, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because you have disobeyed the word of the Lord and have not kept the command that the Lord your God commanded you, 22 but have come back and have eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which he said to you, “Eat no bread and drink no water,” your body shall not come to the tomb of your fathers.’” 23 And after he had eaten bread and drunk, he saddled the donkey for the prophet whom he had brought back. 24 And as he went away a lion met him on the road and killed him. And his body was thrown in the road, and the donkey stood beside it; the lion also stood beside the body. 25 And behold, men passed by and saw the body thrown in the road and the lion standing by the body. And they came and told it in the city where the old prophet lived.

26 And when the prophet who had brought him back from the way heard of it, he said, “It is the man of God who disobeyed the word of the Lord; therefore the Lord has given him to the lion, which has torn him and killed him, according to the word that the Lord spoke to him.” 27 And he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” And they saddled it. 28 And he went and found his body thrown in the road, and the donkey and the lion standing beside the body. The lion had not eaten the body or torn the donkey. 29 And the prophet took up the body of the man of God and laid it on the donkey and brought it back to the city [3] to mourn and to bury him. 30 And he laid the body in his own grave. And they mourned over him, saying, “Alas, my brother!” 31 And after he had buried him, he said to his sons, “When I die, bury me in the grave in which the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones. 32 For the saying that he called out by the word of the Lord against the altar in Bethel and against all the houses of the high places that are in the cities of Samaria shall surely come to pass.”

33 After this thing Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way, but made priests for the high places again from among all the people. Any who would, he ordained to be priests of the high places. 34 And this thing became sin to the house of Jeroboam, so as to cut it off and to destroy it from the face of the earth.
Acts 9:26-43
Saul in Jerusalem

26 And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. [4] But they were seeking to kill him. 30 And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.
The Healing of Aeneas

32 Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. 34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately he rose. 35 And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
Dorcas Restored to Life

36 Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. [5] She was full of good works and acts of charity. 37 In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Please come to us without delay.” 39 So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics [6] and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. 40 But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43 And he stayed in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner.
Psalm 132
The Lord Has Chosen Zion
A Song of Ascents.

132:1 Remember, O Lord, in David's favor,
all the hardships he endured,
2 how he swore to the Lord
and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,
3 “I will not enter my house
or get into my bed,
4 I will not give sleep to my eyes
or slumber to my eyelids,
5 until I find a place for the Lord,
a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

6 Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;
we found it in the fields of Jaar.
7 “Let us go to his dwelling place;
let us worship at his footstool!”

8 Arise, O Lord, and go to your resting place,
you and the ark of your might.
9 Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,
and let your saints shout for joy.
10 For the sake of your servant David,
do not turn away the face of your anointed one.

11 The Lord swore to David a sure oath
from which he will not turn back:
“One of the sons of your body [7]
I will set on your throne.
12 If your sons keep my covenant
and my testimonies that I shall teach them,
their sons also forever
shall sit on your throne.”

13 For the Lord has chosen Zion;
he has desired it for his dwelling place:
14 “This is my resting place forever;
here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
15 I will abundantly bless her provisions;
I will satisfy her poor with bread.
16 Her priests I will clothe with salvation,
and her saints will shout for joy.
17 There I will make a horn to sprout for David;
I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.
18 His enemies I will clothe with shame,
but on him his crown will shine.”
Proverbs 17:6

6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,
and the glory of children is their fathers.

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Everyday in the Word: 13 June 2007

1 Kings 11:1-12:19
A
Solomon Turns from the Lord

11:1 Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, 2 from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the people of Israel, “You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. 3 He had 700 wives, princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart. 4 For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. 5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6 So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord, as David his father had done. 7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem. 8 And so he did for all his foreign wives, who made offerings and sacrificed to their gods.
The Lord Raises Adversaries

9 And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice 10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. But he did not keep what the Lord commanded. 11 Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this has been your practice and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant. 12 Yet for the sake of David your father I will not do it in your days, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. 13 However, I will not tear away all the kingdom, but I will give one tribe to your son, for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem that I have chosen.”

14 And the Lord raised up an adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite. He was of the royal house in Edom. 15 For when David was in Edom, and Joab the commander of the army went up to bury the slain, he struck down every male in Edom 16 (for Joab and all Israel remained there six months, until he had cut off every male in Edom). 17 But Hadad fled to Egypt, together with certain Edomites of his father's servants, Hadad still being a little child. 18 They set out from Midian and came to Paran and took men with them from Paran and came to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave him a house and assigned him an allowance of food and gave him land. 19 And Hadad found great favor in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him in marriage the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen. 20 And the sister of Tahpenes bore him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh's house. And Genubath was in Pharaoh's house among the sons of Pharaoh. 21 But when Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers and that Joab the commander of the army was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, “Let me depart, that I may go to my own country.” 22 But Pharaoh said to him, “What have you lacked with me that you are now seeking to go to your own country?” And he said to him, “Only let me depart.”

23 God also raised up as an adversary to him, Rezon the son of Eliada, who had fled from his master Hadadezer king of Zobah. 24 And he gathered men about him and became leader of a marauding band, after the killing by David. And they went to Damascus and lived there and made him king in Damascus. 25 He was an adversary of Israel all the days of Solomon, doing harm as Hadad did. And he loathed Israel and reigned over Syria.

26 Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow, also lifted up his hand against the king. 27 And this was the reason why he lifted up his hand against the king. Solomon built the Millo, and closed up the breach of the city of David his father. 28 The man Jeroboam was very able, and when Solomon saw that the young man was industrious he gave him charge over all the forced labor of the house of Joseph. 29 And at that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him on the road. Now Ahijah had dressed himself in a new garment, and the two of them were alone in the open country. 30 Then Ahijah laid hold of the new garment that was on him, and tore it into twelve pieces. 31 And he said to Jeroboam, “Take for yourself ten pieces, for thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon and will give you ten tribes 32 (but he shall have one tribe, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel), 33 because they have [1] forsaken me and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites, and they have not walked in my ways, doing what is right in my sight and keeping my statutes and my rules, as David his father did. 34 Nevertheless, I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, but I will make him ruler all the days of his life, for the sake of David my servant whom I chose, who kept my commandments and my statutes. 35 But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand and will give it to you, ten tribes. 36 Yet to his son I will give one tribe, that David my servant may always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city where I have chosen to put my name. 37 And I will take you, and you shall reign over all that your soul desires, and you shall be king over Israel. 38 And if you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do what is right in my eyes by keeping my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, I will be with you and will build you a sure house, as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you. 39 And I will afflict the offspring of David because of this, but not forever.’” 40 Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. But Jeroboam arose and fled into Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

41 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the Book of the Acts of Solomon? 42 And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. 43 And Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.
Rehoboam's Folly

12:1 Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. 2 And as soon as Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), then Jeroboam returned from [2] Egypt. 3 And they sent and called him, and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and said to Rehoboam, 4 “Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke on us, and we will serve you.” 5 He said to them, “Go away for three days, then come again to me.” So the people went away.

6 Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive, saying, “How do you advise me to answer this people?” 7 And they said to him, “If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever.” 8 But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him. 9 And he said to them, “What do you advise that we answer this people who have said to me, ‘Lighten the yoke that your father put on us’?” 10 And the young men who had grown up with him said to him, “Thus shall you speak to this people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you lighten it for us,’ thus shall you say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father's thighs. 11 And now, whereas my father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’”

12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king said, “Come to me again the third day.” 13 And the king answered the people harshly, and forsaking the counsel that the old men had given him, 14 he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.” 15 So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of affairs brought about by the Lord that he might fulfill his word, which the Lord spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
The Kingdom Divided

16 And when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, “What portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, David.” So Israel went to their tents. 17 But Rehoboam reigned over the people of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah. 18 Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was taskmaster over the forced labor, and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. And King Rehoboam hurried to mount his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. 19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.
Acts 9:1-25
The Conversion of Saul

9:1 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; 19 and taking food, he was strengthened.
Saul Proclaims Jesus in Synagogues

For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. 20 And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” 21 And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” 22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.
Saul Escapes from Damascus

23 When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, 25 but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, [3] lowering him in a basket.
Psalm 131
I Have Calmed and Quieted My Soul
A Song of Ascents. Of David.

131:1 O Lord, my heart is not lifted up;
my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
too great and too marvelous for me.
2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child is my soul within me.

3 O Israel, hope in the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore.
Proverbs 17:4-5

4 An evildoer listens to wicked lips,
and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker;
he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.

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