New Mattress Report.  Woke up with no backache.  I'll give it a week before I say for sure, but I think this is going to help.

Rain is pouring down this morning and Squig is lying on my lap NOT Shaking.  Maybe the new mattress cured him?  Not shaking when it rains is a first.  Of course he is getting old, maybe he can't hear the rain?

The last time I read through Isaiah, I marked my Bible, "Interesting, but you don't need to read this again..."  Just goes to show you how wrong you can be.  Our quarterlies are covering Isaiah, so I am teaching it.

It's like reading about America down the tubes.  When I think about the 1940's and the years since then, it is like we took a downward spiral.

God tells the Israelites:  What is the point of coming to my temple?  You bring vain oblations multitudes of sacrifices to what end.  Your lives don't change.  You make me sick.  I can't stand you.  I am weary of you.  Stop bringing them.

He says: When you spread your hands to heaven, I am going to hide my eyes.  I won't see you.  When you pray, I will refuse to hear you.

It's like people who go through all the motions, come to church, throw some money in the plate, sing the songs, listen to the sermon and prayers--then go out of the building with no change in their lives.  Continuing to cheat, steal, commit adultery, lie, fake their taxes, ignore the poor.

God said, "Come now, let us reason together..."  Sin--and we all know what that is--separates us from God.  He is sick of our charade.  He destroyed Israel after Isaiah spoke to them and they didn't repent.  What about America?