O. Addison Gethers e-mail address : [email protected] or [email protected] window live messenger: [email protected] aim: durangoadd64 skype: cowboys62 yahoo messenger: OADDISONGETHERS
----- Original Message ----- From: "Donnie Parrett" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2009 4:21 AM Subject: Daily Bible Reading For Tuesday April 14 >2 Kings 4-6 (The Message) > > 2 Kings 4 > 1 One day the wife of a man from the guild of prophets called out to > Elisha, "Your servant my > husband is dead. You well know what a good man he was, devoted to God. And > now the man to whom he > was in debt is on his way to collect by taking my two children as slaves." > 2 Elisha said, "I wonder how I can be of help. Tell me, what do you have > in your house?" > > "Nothing," she said. "Well, I do have a little oil." > > 3-4 "Here's what you do," said Elisha. "Go up and down the street and > borrow jugs and bowls from > all your neighbors. And not just a few-all you can get. Then come home and > lock the door behind you, > you and your sons. Pour oil into each container; when each is full, set it > aside." > > 5-6 She did what he said. She locked the door behind her and her sons; as > they brought the > containers to her, she filled them. When all the jugs and bowls were full, > she said to one of her > sons, "Another jug, please." > > He said, "That's it. There are no more jugs." > > Then the oil stopped. > > 7 She went and told the story to the man of God. He said, "Go sell the oil > and make good on your > debts. Live, both you and your sons, on what's left." > > > 8 One day Elisha passed through Shunem. A leading lady of the town talked > him into stopping for a > meal. And then it became his custom: Whenever he passed through, he > stopped by for a meal. > > 9-10 "I'm certain," said the woman to her husband, "that this man who > stops by with us all the time > is a holy man of God. Why don't we add on a small room upstairs and > furnish it with a bed and desk, > chair and lamp, so that when he comes by he can stay with us?" > > 11 And so it happened that the next time Elisha came by he went to the > room and lay down for a nap. > > 12 Then he said to his servant Gehazi, "Tell the Shunammite woman I want > to see her." He called her > and she came to him. > > 13 Through Gehazi Elisha said, "You've gone far beyond the call of duty in > taking care of us; what > can we do for you? Do you have a request we can bring to the king or to > the commander of the army?" > > She replied, "Nothing. I'm secure and satisfied in my family." > > 14 Elisha conferred with Gehazi: "There's got to be something we can do > for her. But what?" > > Gehazi said, "Well, she has no son, and her husband is an old man." > > 15 "Call her in," said Elisha. He called her and she stood at the open > door. > > 16 Elisha said to her, "This time next year you're going to be nursing an > infant son." > > "O my master, O Holy Man," she said, "don't play games with me, teasing > me with such fantasies!" > > 17 The woman conceived. A year later, just as Elisha had said, she had a > son. > > 18-19 The child grew up. One day he went to his father, who was working > with the harvest hands, > complaining, "My head, my head!" > > His father ordered a servant, "Carry him to his mother." > > 20 The servant took him in his arms and carried him to his mother. He lay > on her lap until noon and > died. > > 21 She took him up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, shut him in > alone, and left. > > 22 She then called her husband, "Get me a servant and a donkey so I can go > to the Holy Man; I'll be > back as soon as I can." > > 23 "But why today? This isn't a holy day-it's neither New Moon nor > Sabbath." > > She said, "Don't ask questions; I need to go right now. Trust me." > > 24-25 She went ahead and saddled the donkey, ordering her servant, "Take > the lead-and go as fast as > you can; I'll tell you if you're going too fast." And so off she went. She > came to the Holy Man at > Mount Carmel. > > 25-26 The Holy Man, spotting her while she was still a long way off, said > to his servant Gehazi, > "Look out there; why, it's the Shunammite woman! Quickly now. Ask her, 'Is > something wrong? Are you > all right? Your husband? Your child?'" > > She said, "Everything's fine." > > 27 But when she reached the Holy Man at the mountain, she threw herself at > his feet and held > tightly to him. > > Gehazi came up to pull her away, but the Holy Man said, "Leave her > alone-can't you see that > she's in distress? But God hasn't let me in on why; I'm completely in the > dark." > > 28 Then she spoke up: "Did I ask for a son, master? Didn't I tell you, > 'Don't tease me with false > hopes'?" > > 29 He ordered Gehazi, "Don't lose a minute-grab my staff and run as fast > as you can. If you meet > anyone, don't even take time to greet him, and if anyone greets you, don't > even answer. Lay my staff > across the boy's face." > > 30 The boy's mother said, "As sure as God lives and you live, you're not > leaving me behind." And so > Gehazi let her take the lead, and followed behind. > > 31 But Gehazi arrived first and laid the staff across the boy's face. But > there was no sound-no > sign of life. Gehazi went back to meet Elisha and said, "The boy hasn't > stirred." > > 32-35 Elisha entered the house and found the boy stretched out on the bed > dead. He went into the > room and locked the door-just the two of them in the room-and prayed to > God. He then got into bed > with the boy and covered him with his body, mouth on mouth, eyes on eyes, > hands on hands. As he was > stretched out over him like that, the boy's body became warm. Elisha got > up and paced back and forth > in the room. Then he went back and stretched himself upon the boy again. > The boy started > sneezing-seven times he sneezed!-and opened his eyes. > > 36 He called Gehazi and said, "Get the Shunammite woman in here!" He > called her and she came in. > > Elisha said, "Embrace your son!" > > 37 She fell at Elisha's feet, face to the ground in reverent awe. Then she > embraced her son and > went out with him. > > 38 Elisha went back down to Gilgal. There was a famine there. While he was > consulting with the > guild of prophets, he told his servant, "Put a large pot on the fire and > cook up some stew for the > prophets." > > 39-40 One of the men went out into the field to get some herbs; he came > across a wild vine and > picked gourds from it, filling his gunnysack. He brought them back, sliced > them up, and put them in > the stew, even though no one knew what kind of plant it was. The stew was > then served up for the men > to eat. They started to eat, and then exclaimed, "Death in the pot, O man > of God! Death in the pot!" > Nobody could eat it. > > Elisha ordered, "Get me some meal." Then he sprinkled it into the stew > pot. > > 41 "Now serve it up to the men," he said. They ate it, and it was just > fine- nothing wrong with > that stew! > > 42 One day a man arrived from Baal Shalishah. He brought the man of God > twenty loaves of > fresh-baked bread from the early harvest, along with a few apples from the > orchard. > > Elisha said, "Pass it around to the people to eat." > > 43 His servant said, "For a hundred men? There's not nearly enough!" > > Elisha said, "Just go ahead and do it. God says there's plenty." > > 44 And sure enough, there was. He passed around what he had-they not only > ate, but had leftovers. > > 2 Kings 5 > 1-3 Naaman was general of the army under the king of Aram. He was > important to his master, who held > him in the highest esteem because it was by him that God had given victory > to Aram: a truly great > man, but afflicted with a grievous skin disease. It so happened that Aram, > on one of its raiding > expeditions against Israel, captured a young girl who became a maid to > Naaman's wife. One day she > said to her mistress, "Oh, if only my master could meet the prophet of > Samaria, he would be healed > of his skin disease." > 4 Naaman went straight to his master and reported what the girl from > Israel had said. > > 5 "Well then, go," said the king of Aram. "And I'll send a letter of > introduction to the king of > Israel." > > So he went off, taking with him about 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds > of gold, and ten sets of > clothes. > > 6 Naaman delivered the letter to the king of Israel. The letter read, > "When you get this letter, > you'll know that I've personally sent my servant Naaman to you; heal him > of his skin disease." > > 7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he was terribly upset, ripping > his robe to pieces. He > said, "Am I a god with the power to bring death or life that I get orders > to heal this man from his > disease? What's going on here? That king's trying to pick a fight, that's > what!" > > 8 Elisha the man of God heard what had happened, that the king of Israel > was so distressed that > he'd ripped his robe to shreds. He sent word to the king, "Why are you so > upset, ripping your robe > like this? Send him to me so he'll learn that there's a prophet in > Israel." > > 9 So Naaman with his horses and chariots arrived in style and stopped at > Elisha's door. > > 10 Elisha sent out a servant to meet him with this message: "Go to the > River Jordan and immerse > yourself seven times. Your skin will be healed and you'll be as good as > new." > > 11-12 Naaman lost his temper. He turned on his heel saying, "I thought > he'd personally come out and > meet me, call on the name of God, wave his hand over the diseased spot, > and get rid of the disease. > The Damascus rivers, Abana and Pharpar, are cleaner by far than any of the > rivers in Israel. Why not > bathe in them? I'd at least get clean." He stomped off, mad as a hornet. > > 13 But his servants caught up with him and said, "Father, if the prophet > had asked you to do > something hard and heroic, wouldn't you have done it? So why not this > simple 'wash and be clean'?" > > 14 So he did it. He went down and immersed himself in the Jordan seven > times, following the orders > of the Holy Man. His skin was healed; it was like the skin of a little > baby. He was as good as new. > > 15 He then went back to the Holy Man, he and his entourage, stood before > him, and said, "I now know > beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is no God anywhere on earth other > than the God of Israel. In > gratitude let me give you a gift." > > 16 "As God lives," Elisha replied, "the God whom I serve, I'll take > nothing from you." Naaman tried > his best to get him to take something, but he wouldn't do it. > > 17-18 "If you won't take anything," said Naaman, "let me ask you for > something: Give me a load of > dirt, as much as a team of donkeys can carry, because I'm never again > going to worship any god other > than God. But there's one thing for which I need God's pardon: When my > master, leaning on my arm, > enters the shrine of Rimmon and worships there, and I'm with him there, > worshiping Rimmon, may you > see to it that God forgive me for this." > > 19-21 Elisha said, "Everything will be all right. Go in peace." > > But he hadn't gone far when Gehazi, servant to Elisha the Holy Man, > said to himself, "My master > has let this Aramean Naaman slip through his fingers without so much as a > thank-you. By the living > God, I'm going after him to get something or other from him!" And Gehazi > took off after Naaman. > > Naaman saw him running after him and jumped down from his chariot to > greet him, "Is something > wrong?" > > 22 "Nothing's wrong, but something's come up. My master sent me to tell > you: 'Two young men just > showed up from the hill country of Ephraim, brothers from the guild of the > prophets. Supply their > needs with a gift of 75 pounds of silver and a couple of sets of > clothes.'" > > 23 Naaman said, "Of course, how about a 150 pounds?" Naaman insisted. He > tied up the money in two > sacks and gave him the two sets of clothes; he even gave him two servants > to carry the gifts back > with him. > > 24 When they got to the fort on the hill, Gehazi took the gifts from the > servants, stored them > inside, then sent the servants back. > > 25 He returned and stood before his master. Elisha said, "So what have you > been up to, Gehazi?" > > "Nothing much," he said. > > 26-27 Elisha said, "Didn't you know I was with you in spirit when that man > stepped down from his > chariot to greet you? Tell me, is this a time to look after yourself, > lining your pockets with > gifts? Naaman's skin disease will now infect you and your family, with no > relief in sight." > > Gehazi walked away, his skin flaky and white like snow. > > 2 Kings 6 > 1-2 One day the guild of prophets came to Elisha and said, "You can see > that this place where we're > living under your leadership is getting cramped-we have no elbow room. > Give us permission to go down > to the Jordan where each of us will get a log. We'll build a roomier > place." > Elisha said, "Go ahead." > > 3 One of them then said, "Please! Come along with us!" > > He said, "Certainly." > > 4-5 He went with them. They came to the Jordan and started chopping down > trees. As one of them was > felling a timber, his axhead flew off and sank in the river. > > "Oh no, master!" he cried out. "And it was borrowed!" > > 6 The Holy Man said, "Where did it sink?" > > The man showed him the place. > > He cut off a branch and tossed it at the spot. The axhead floated up. > > 7 "Grab it," he said. The man reached out and took it. > > 8 One time when the king of Aram was at war with Israel, after consulting > with his officers, he > said, "At such and such a place I want an ambush set." > > 9 The Holy Man sent a message to the king of Israel: "Watch out when > you're passing this place, > because Aram has set an ambush there." > > 10 So the king of Israel sent word concerning the place of which the Holy > Man had warned him. > > This kind of thing happened all the time. > > 11 The king of Aram was furious over all this. He called his officers > together and said, "Tell me, > who is leaking information to the king of Israel? Who is the spy in our > ranks?" > > 12 But one of his men said, "No, my master, dear king. It's not any of us. > It's Elisha the prophet > in Israel. He tells the king of Israel everything you say, even what you > whisper in your bedroom." > > 13 The king said, "Go and find out where he is. I'll send someone and > capture him." > > The report came back, "He's in Dothan." > > 14 Then he dispatched horses and chariots, an impressive fighting force. > They came by night and > surrounded the city. > > 15 Early in the morning a servant of the Holy Man got up and went out. > Surprise! Horses and > chariots surrounding the city! The young man exclaimed, "Oh, master! What > shall we do?" > > 16 He said, "Don't worry about it-there are more on our side than on their > side." > > 17 Then Elisha prayed, "O God, open his eyes and let him see." > > The eyes of the young man were opened and he saw. A wonder! The whole > mountainside full of > horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha! > > 18 When the Arameans attacked, Elisha prayed to God, "Strike these people > blind!" And God struck > them blind, just as Elisha said. > > 19 Then Elisha called out to them, "Not that way! Not this city! Follow me > and I'll lead you to the > man you're looking for." And he led them into Samaria. > > 20 As they entered the city, Elisha prayed, "O God, open their eyes so > they can see where they > are." God opened their eyes. They looked around-they were trapped in > Samaria! > > 21 When the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, "Father, shall I > massacre the lot?" > > 22 "Not on your life!" said Elisha. "You didn't lift a hand to capture > them, and now you're going > to kill them? No sir, make a feast for them and send them back to their > master." > > 23 So he prepared a huge feast for them. After they ate and drank their > fill he dismissed them. > Then they returned home to their master. The raiding bands of Aram didn't > bother Israel anymore. > > 24-25 At a later time, this: Ben-Hadad king of Aram pulled together his > troops and launched a siege > on Samaria. This brought on a terrible famine, so bad that food prices > soared astronomically. Eighty > shekels for a donkey's head! Five shekels for a bowl of field greens! > > 26 One day the king of Israel was walking along the city wall. A woman > cried out, "Help! Your > majesty!" > > 27 He answered, "If God won't help you, where on earth can I go for help? > To the granary? To the > dairy?" > > 28-29 The king continued, "Tell me your story." > > She said, "This woman came to me and said, 'Give up your son and we'll > have him for today's > supper; tomorrow we'll eat my son.' So we cooked my son and ate him. The > next day I told her, 'Your > turn-bring your son so we can have him for supper.' But she had hidden her > son away." > > 30-31 When the king heard the woman's story he ripped apart his robe. > Since he was walking on the > city wall, everyone saw that next to his skin he was wearing coarse > burlap. And he called out, "God > do his worst to me-and more-if Elisha son of Shaphat still has a head on > his shoulders at this day's > end." > > 32 Elisha was sitting at home, the elders sitting with him. The king had > already dispatched an > executioner, but before the man arrived Elisha spoke to the elders: "Do > you know that this murderer > has just now sent a man to take off my head? Look, when the executioner > arrives, shut the door and > lock it. Don't I even now hear the footsteps of his master behind him?" > > 33 While he was giving his instructions, the king showed up, accusing, > "This trouble is directly > from God! And what's next? I'm fed up with God!" > > > > > > > Please join us on Skype Monday thru Friday at 8:00 EST for our Morning > Skype Prayer Time. > > > Contact Me At: > Donnie Parrett > 1956 Asa Flat Road > Annville, Kentucky 40402 > Home Phone: 606-364-3321 > Church Phone: 606-364-PRAY > Skype Name: Donnie1261 > Email: [email protected] > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Deaf-Blind Inspirational Life Group" group. 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