O. Addison Gethers
e-mail address [email protected] [email protected] twitter URL http//:twitter.com/OAddisonGethers Messenger contact window live/msn messenger: [email protected] aim: durangoadd64 skype: cowboys62 yahoo messenger: OADDISONGETHERS rs ----- Original Message ----- From: "Donnie Parrett" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, August 01, 2009 11:46 PM Subject: Daily Bible Reading For Sunday August 2 > Day 214 > > Isaiah 40-42 (The Message) > > Isaiah 40 > Messages of Comfort > Prepare for God's Arrival > 1-2 "Comfort, oh comfort my people," > says your God. > "Speak softly and tenderly to Jerusalem, > but also make it very clear > That she has served her sentence, > that her sin is taken care of-forgiven! > She's been punished enough and more than enough, > and now it's over and done with." > 3-5Thunder in the desert! > "Prepare for God's arrival! > Make the road straight and smooth, > a highway fit for our God. > Fill in the valleys, > level off the hills, > Smooth out the ruts, > clear out the rocks. > Then God's bright glory will shine > and everyone will see it. > Yes. Just as God has said." > > 6-8A voice says, "Shout!" > I said, "What shall I shout?" > > "These people are nothing but grass, > their love fragile as wildflowers. > The grass withers, the wildflowers fade, > if God so much as puffs on them. > Aren't these people just so much grass? > True, the grass withers and the wildflowers fade, > but our God's Word stands firm and forever." > > 9-11Climb a high mountain, Zion. > You're the preacher of good news. > Raise your voice. Make it good and loud, Jerusalem. > You're the preacher of good news. > Speak loud and clear. Don't be timid! > Tell the cities of Judah, > "Look! Your God!" > Look at him! God, the Master, comes in power, > ready to go into action. > He is going to pay back his enemies > and reward those who have loved him. > Like a shepherd, he will care for his flock, > gathering the lambs in his arms, > Hugging them as he carries them, > leading the nursing ewes to good pasture. > > The Creator of All You Can See or Imagine > 12-17Who has scooped up the ocean > in his two hands, > or measured the sky between his thumb and little finger, > Who has put all the earth's dirt in one of his baskets, > weighed each mountain and hill? > Who could ever have told God what to do > or taught him his business? > What expert would he have gone to for advice, > what school would he attend to learn justice? > What god do you suppose might have taught him what he knows, > showed him how things work? > Why, the nations are but a drop in a bucket, > a mere smudge on a window. > Watch him sweep up the islands > like so much dust off the floor! > There aren't enough trees in Lebanon > nor enough animals in those vast forests > to furnish adequate fuel and offerings for his worship. > All the nations add up to simply nothing before him- > less than nothing is more like it. A minus. > 18-20So who even comes close to being like God? > To whom or what can you compare him? > Some no-god idol? Ridiculous! > It's made in a workshop, cast in bronze, > Given a thin veneer of gold, > and draped with silver filigree. > Or, perhaps someone will select a fine wood- > olive wood, say-that won't rot, > Then hire a woodcarver to make a no-god, > giving special care to its base so it won't tip over! > > 21-24Have you not been paying attention? > Have you not been listening? > Haven't you heard these stories all your life? > Don't you understand the foundation of all things? > God sits high above the round ball of earth. > The people look like mere ants. > He stretches out the skies like a canvas- > yes, like a tent canvas to live under. > He ignores what all the princes say and do. > The rulers of the earth count for nothing. > Princes and rulers don't amount to much. > Like seeds barely rooted, just sprouted, > They shrivel when God blows on them. > Like flecks of chaff, they're gone with the wind. > > 25-26"So-who is like me? > Who holds a candle to me?" says The Holy. > Look at the night skies: > Who do you think made all this? > Who marches this army of stars out each night, > counts them off, calls each by name > -so magnificent! so powerful!- > and never overlooks a single one? > > 27-31Why would you ever complain, O Jacob, > or, whine, Israel, saying, > "God has lost track of me. > He doesn't care what happens to me"? > Don't you know anything? Haven't you been listening? > God doesn't come and go. God lasts. > He's Creator of all you can see or imagine. > He doesn't get tired out, doesn't pause to catch his breath. > And he knows everything, inside and out. > He energizes those who get tired, > gives fresh strength to dropouts. > For even young people tire and drop out, > young folk in their prime stumble and fall. > But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. > They spread their wings and soar like eagles, > They run and don't get tired, > they walk and don't lag behind. > > Isaiah 41 > Do You Feel Like a Lowly Worm? > 1 "Quiet down, far-flung ocean islands. Listen! Sit down and rest, > everyone. Recover your strength. > Gather around me. Say what's on your heart. > Together let's decide what's right. > 2-3"Who got things rolling here, > got this champion from the east on the move? > Who recruited him for this job, > then rounded up and corralled the nations > so he could run roughshod over kings? > He's off and running, > pulverizing nations into dust, > leaving only stubble and chaff in his wake. > He chases them and comes through unscathed, > his feet scarcely touching the path. > > 4"Who did this? Who made it happen? > Who always gets things started? > I did. God. I'm first on the scene. > I'm also the last to leave. > > 5-7"Far-flung ocean islands see it and panic. > The ends of the earth are shaken. > Fearfully they huddle together. > They try to help each other out, > making up stories in the dark. > The godmakers in the workshops > go into overtime production, crafting new models of no-gods, > Urging one another on-'Good job!' 'Great design!'- > pounding in nails at the base > so that the things won't tip over. > > 8-10"But you, Israel, are my servant. > You're Jacob, my first choice, > descendants of my good friend Abraham. > I pulled you in from all over the world, > called you in from every dark corner of the earth, > Telling you, 'You're my servant, serving on my side. > I've picked you. I haven't dropped you.' > Don't panic. I'm with you. > There's no need to fear for I'm your God. > I'll give you strength. I'll help you. > I'll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you. > > 11-13"Count on it: Everyone who had it in for you > will end up out in the cold- > real losers. > Those who worked against you > will end up empty-handed- > nothing to show for their lives. > When you go out looking for your old adversaries > you won't find them- > Not a trace of your old enemies, > not even a memory. > That's right. Because I, your God, > have a firm grip on you and I'm not letting go. > I'm telling you, 'Don't panic. > I'm right here to help you.' > > 14-16"Do you feel like a lowly worm, Jacob? > Don't be afraid. > Feel like a fragile insect, Israel? > I'll help you. > I, God, want to reassure you. > The God who buys you back, The Holy of Israel. > I'm transforming you from worm to harrow, > from insect to iron. > As a sharp-toothed harrow you'll smooth out the mountains, > turn those tough old hills into loamy soil. > You'll open the rough ground to the weather, > to the blasts of sun and wind and rain. > But you'll be confident and exuberant, > expansive in The Holy of Israel! > > 17-20"The poor and homeless are desperate for water, > their tongues parched and no water to be found. > But I'm there to be found, I'm there for them, > and I, God of Israel, will not leave them thirsty. > I'll open up rivers for them on the barren hills, > spout fountains in the valleys. > I'll turn the baked-clay badlands into a cool pond, > the waterless waste into splashing creeks. > I'll plant the red cedar in that treeless wasteland, > also acacia, myrtle, and olive. > I'll place the cypress in the desert, > with plenty of oaks and pines. > Everyone will see this. No one can miss it- > unavoidable, indisputable evidence > That I, God, personally did this. > It's created and signed by The Holy of Israel. > > 21-24"Set out your case for your gods," says God. > "Bring your evidence," says the King of Jacob. > "Take the stand on behalf of your idols, offer arguments, > assemble reasons. > Spread out the facts before us > so that we can assess them ourselves. > Ask them, 'If you are gods, explain what the past means- > or, failing that, tell us what will happen in the future. > Can't do that? > How about doing something-anything! > Good or bad-whatever. > Can you hurt us or help us? Do we need to be afraid?' > They say nothing, because they are nothing- > sham gods, no-gods, fool-making gods. > > 25-29"I, God, started someone out from the north and he's come. > He was called out of the east by name. > He'll stomp the rulers into the mud > the way a potter works the clay. > Let me ask you, Did anyone guess that this might happen? > Did anyone tell us earlier so we might confirm it > with 'Yes, he's right!'? > No one mentioned it, no one announced it, > no one heard a peep out of you. > But I told Zion all about this beforehand. > I gave Jerusalem a preacher of good news. > But around here there's no one- > no one who knows what's going on. > I ask, but no one can tell me the score. > Nothing here. It's all smoke and hot air- > sham gods, hollow gods, no-gods." > > Isaiah 42 > God's Servant Will Set Everything Right > 1-4 "Take a good look at my servant. > I'm backing him to the hilt. > He's the one I chose, > and I couldn't be more pleased with him. > I've bathed him with my Spirit, my life. > He'll set everything right among the nations. > He won't call attention to what he does > with loud speeches or gaudy parades. > He won't brush aside the bruised and the hurt > and he won't disregard the small and insignificant, > but he'll steadily and firmly set things right. > He won't tire out and quit. He won't be stopped > until he's finished his work-to set things right on earth. > Far-flung ocean islands > wait expectantly for his teaching." > The God Who Makes Us Alive with His Own Life > 5-9God's Message, > the God who created the cosmos, stretched out the skies, > laid out the earth and all that grows from it, > Who breathes life into earth's people, > makes them alive with his own life: > "I am God. I have called you to live right and well. > I have taken responsibility for you, kept you safe. > I have set you among my people to bind them to me, > and provided you as a lighthouse to the nations, > To make a start at bringing people into the open, into light: > opening blind eyes, > releasing prisoners from dungeons, > emptying the dark prisons. > I am God. That's my name. > I don't franchise my glory, > don't endorse the no-god idols. > Take note: The earlier predictions of judgment have been fulfilled. > I'm announcing the new salvation work. > Before it bursts on the scene, > I'm telling you all about it." > 10-16Sing to God a brand-new song, > sing his praises all over the world! > Let the sea and its fish give a round of applause, > with all the far-flung islands joining in. > Let the desert and its camps raise a tune, > calling the Kedar nomads to join in. > Let the villagers in Sela round up a choir > and perform from the tops of the mountains. > Make God's glory resound; > echo his praises from coast to coast. > God steps out like he means business. > You can see he's primed for action. > He shouts, announcing his arrival; > he takes charge and his enemies fall into line: > > "I've been quiet long enough. > I've held back, biting my tongue. > But now I'm letting loose, letting go, > like a woman who's having a baby- > Stripping the hills bare, > withering the wildflowers, > Drying up the rivers, > turning lakes into mudflats. > But I'll take the hand of those who don't know the way, > who can't see where they're going. > I'll be a personal guide to them, > directing them through unknown country. > I'll be right there to show them what roads to take, > make sure they don't fall into the ditch. > These are the things I'll be doing for them- > sticking with them, not leaving them for a minute." > > 17But those who invested in the no-gods > are bankrupt-dead broke. > > You've Seen a Lot, but Looked at Nothing > 18-25Pay attention! Are you deaf? > Open your eyes! Are you blind? > You're my servant, and you're not looking! > You're my messenger, and you're not listening! > The very people I depended upon, servants of God, > blind as a bat-willfully blind! > You've seen a lot, but looked at nothing. > You've heard everything, but listened to nothing. > God intended, out of the goodness of his heart, > to be lavish in his revelation. > But this is a people battered and cowed, > shut up in attics and closets, > Victims licking their wounds, > feeling ignored, abandoned. > But is anyone out there listening? > Is anyone paying attention to what's coming? > Who do you think turned Jacob over to the thugs, > let loose the robbers on Israel? > Wasn't it God himself, this God against whom we've sinned- > not doing what he commanded, > not listening to what he said? > Isn't it God's anger that's behind all this, > God's punishing power? > Their whole world collapsed but they still didn't get it; > their life is in ruins but they don't take it to heart. > > > > > > > > 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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