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: "Donnie Parrett" <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 2009 12:34 AM Subject: Daily Bible Reading For Tuesday September 15 > Day 258 > > Daniel 4-6 (The Message) > > Daniel 4 > A Dream of a Chopped-Down Tree > 1-2 King Nebuchadnezzar to everyone, everywhere-every race, color, and > creed: "Peace and prosperity > to all! It is my privilege to report to you the gracious miracles that the > High God has done for me. > 3"His miracles are staggering, > his wonders are surprising. > His kingdom lasts and lasts, > his sovereign rule goes on forever. > 4-7 "I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home taking it easy in my palace, without a > care in the world. But > as I was stretched out on my bed I had a dream that scared me-a nightmare > that shook me. I sent for > all the wise men of Babylon so that they could interpret the dream for me. > When they were all > assembled-magicians, enchanters, fortunetellers, witches-I told them the > dream. None could tell me > what it meant. > > 8 "And then Daniel came in. His Babylonian name is Belteshazzar, named > after my god, a man full of > the divine Holy Spirit. I told him my dream. > > 9 "'Belteshazzar,' I said, 'chief of the magicians, I know that you are a > man full of the divine > Holy Spirit and that there is no mystery that you can't solve. Listen to > this dream that I had and > interpret it for me. > > 10-12 "'This is what I saw as I was stretched out on my bed. I saw a big > towering tree at the > center of the world. As I watched, the tree grew huge and strong. Its top > reached the sky and it > could be seen from the four corners of the earth. Its leaves were > beautiful, its fruit > abundant-enough food for everyone! Wild animals found shelter under it, > birds nested in its > branches, everything living was fed and sheltered by it. > > 13-15 "'And this also is what I saw as I was stretched out on my bed. I > saw a holy watchman descend > from heaven, and call out: > > Chop down the tree, lop off its branches, > strip its leaves and scatter its fruit. > Chase the animals from beneath it > and shoo the birds from its branches. > But leave the stump and roots in the ground, > belted with a strap of iron and bronze in the grassy meadow. > > 15-16 Let him be soaked in heaven's dew > and take his meals with the animals that graze. > Let him lose his mind > and get an animal's mind in exchange, > And let this go on > for seven seasons. > > 17 The angels announce this decree, > the holy watchmen bring this sentence, > So that everyone living will know > that the High God rules human kingdoms. > He arranges kingdom affairs however he wishes, > and makes leaders out of losers. > > 18 "'This is what I, King Nebuchadnezzar, dreamed. It's your turn, > Belteshazzar-interpret it for > me. None of the wise men of Babylon could make heads or tails of it, but > I'm sure you can do it. > You're full of the divine Holy Spirit.'" > > "You Will Graze on the Grass Like an Ox" > 19 At first Daniel, who had been renamed Belteshazzar in Babylon, was > upset. The thoughts that came > swarming into his mind terrified him. > "Belteshazzar," the king said, "stay calm. Don't let the dream and its > interpretation scare > you." > > "My master," said Belteshazzar, "I wish this dream were about your > enemies and its > interpretation for your foes. > > 20-22 "The tree you saw that grew so large and sturdy with its top > touching the sky, visible from > the four corners of the world; the tree with the luxuriant foliage and > abundant fruit, enough for > everyone; the tree under which animals took cover and in which birds built > nests-you, O king, are > that tree. > > "You have grown great and strong. Your royal majesty reaches sky-high, > and your sovereign rule > stretches to the four corners of the world. > > 23-25 "But the part about the holy angel descending from heaven and > proclaiming, 'Chop down the > tree, destroy it, but leave stump and roots in the ground belted with a > strap of iron and bronze in > the grassy meadow; let him be soaked with heaven's dew and take his meals > with the grazing animals > for seven seasons'-this, O king, also refers to you. It means that the > High God has sentenced my > master the king: You will be driven away from human company and live with > the wild animals. You will > graze on grass like an ox. You will be soaked in heaven's dew. This will > go on for seven seasons, > and you will learn that the High God rules over human kingdoms and that he > arranges all kingdom > affairs. > > 26 "The part about the tree stump and roots being left means that your > kingdom will still be there > for you after you learn that it is heaven that runs things. > > 27 "So, king, take my advice: Make a clean break with your sins and start > living for others. Quit > your wicked life and look after the needs of the down-and-out. Then you > will continue to have a good > life." > > The Loss and Regaining of a Mind and a Kingdom > 28-30 All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. Just twelve months later, > he was walking on the > balcony of the royal palace in Babylon and boasted, "Look at this, Babylon > the great! And I built it > all by myself, a royal palace adequate to display my honor and glory!" > 31-32 The words were no sooner out of his mouth than a voice out of heaven > spoke, "This is the > verdict on you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your kingdom is taken from you. You > will be driven out of human > company and live with the wild animals. You will eat grass like an ox. The > sentence is for seven > seasons, enough time to learn that the High God rules human kingdoms and > puts whomever he wishes in > charge." > > 33 It happened at once. Nebuchadnezzar was driven out of human company, > ate grass like an ox, and > was soaked in heaven's dew. His hair grew like the feathers of an eagle > and his nails like the claws > of a hawk. > > 34-35 "At the end of the seven years, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked to heaven. > I was given my mind back > and I blessed the High God, thanking and glorifying God, who lives > forever: > > "His sovereign rule lasts and lasts, > his kingdom never declines and falls. > Life on this earth doesn't add up to much, > but God's heavenly army keeps everything going. > No one can interrupt his work, > no one can call his rule into question. > > 36-37 "At the same time that I was given back my mind, I was also given > back my majesty and > splendor, making my kingdom shine. All the leaders and important people > came looking for me. I was > reestablished as king in my kingdom and became greater than ever. And > that's why I'm singing-I, > Nebuchadnezzar-singing and praising the King of Heaven: > > "Everything he does is right, > and he does it the right way. > He knows how to turn a proud person > into a humble man or woman." > > Daniel 5 > The Writing of a Disembodied Hand > 1-4 King Belshazzar held a great feast for his one thousand nobles. The > wine flowed freely. > Belshazzar, heady with the wine, ordered that the gold and silver chalices > his father Nebuchadnezzar > had stolen from God's Temple of Jerusalem be brought in so that he and his > nobles, his wives and > concubines, could drink from them. When the gold and silver chalices were > brought in, the king and > his nobles, his wives and his concubines, drank wine from them. They drank > the wine and drunkenly > praised their gods made of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and > stone. > 5-7 At that very moment, the fingers of a human hand appeared and began > writing on the > lamp-illumined, whitewashed wall of the palace. When the king saw the > disembodied hand writing away, > he went white as a ghost, scared out of his wits. His legs went limp and > his knees knocked. He > yelled out for the enchanters, the fortunetellers, and the diviners to > come. He told these > Babylonian magi, "Anyone who can read this writing on the wall and tell me > what it means will be > famous and rich-purple robe, the great gold chain-and be third-in-command > in the kingdom." > > 8-9 One after the other they tried, but could make no sense of it. They > could neither read what was > written nor interpret it to the king. So now the king was really > frightened. All the blood drained > from his face. The nobles were in a panic. > > 10-12 The queen heard of the hysteria among the king and his nobles and > came to the banquet hall. > She said, "Long live the king! Don't be upset. Don't sit around looking > like ghosts. There is a man > in your kingdom who is full of the divine Holy Spirit. During your > father's time he was well known > for his intellectual brilliance and spiritual wisdom. He was so good that > your father, King > Nebuchadnezzar, made him the head of all the magicians, enchanters, > fortunetellers, and diviners. > There was no one quite like him. He could do anything-interpret dreams, > solve mysteries, explain > puzzles. His name is Daniel, but he was renamed Belteshazzar by the king. > Have Daniel called in. > He'll tell you what is going on here." > > 13-16 So Daniel was called in. The king asked him, "Are you the Daniel who > was one of the Jewish > exiles my father brought here from Judah? I've heard about you-that you're > full of the Holy Spirit, > that you've got a brilliant mind, that you are incredibly wise. The wise > men and enchanters were > brought in here to read this writing on the wall and interpret it for me. > They couldn't figure it > out-not a word, not a syllable. But I've heard that you interpret dreams > and solve mysteries. So-if > you can read the writing and interpret it for me, you'll be rich and > famous-a purple robe, the great > gold chain around your neck-and third-in-command in the kingdom." > > 17 Daniel answered the king, "You can keep your gifts, or give them to > someone else. But I will > read the writing for the king and tell him what it means. > > 18-21 "Listen, O king! The High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar a > great kingdom and a glorious > reputation. Because God made him so famous, people from everywhere, > whatever their race, color, and > creed, were totally intimidated by him. He killed or spared people on > whim. He promoted or > humiliated people capriciously. He developed a big head and a hard spirit. > Then God knocked him off > his high horse and stripped him of his fame. He was thrown out of human > company, lost his mind, and > lived like a wild animal. He ate grass like an ox and was soaked by > heaven's dew until he learned > his lesson: that the High God rules human kingdoms and puts anyone he > wants in charge. > > 22-23 "You are his son and have known all this, yet you're as arrogant as > he ever was. Look at you, > setting yourself up in competition against the Master of heaven! You had > the sacred chalices from > his Temple brought into your drunken party so that you and your nobles, > your wives and your > concubines, could drink from them. You used the sacred chalices to toast > your gods of silver and > gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone-blind, deaf, and imbecile gods. But > you treat with contempt > the living God who holds your entire life from birth to death in his hand. > > 24-26 "God sent the hand that wrote on the wall, and this is what is > written: mene, teqel, and > peres. This is what the words mean: > > "Mene: God has numbered the days of your rule and they don't add up. > > 27 "Teqel: You have been weighed on the scales and you don't weigh much. > > 28 "Peres: Your kingdom has been divided up and handed over to the Medes > and Persians." > > 29 Belshazzar did what he had promised. He robed Daniel in purple, draped > the great gold chain > around his neck, and promoted him to third-in-charge in the kingdom. > > 30-31 That same night the Babylonian king Belshazzar was murdered. Darius > the Mede was sixty-two > years old when he succeeded him as king. > > Daniel 6 > Daniel in the Lions' Den > 1-3 Darius reorganized his kingdom. He appointed one hundred twenty > governors to administer all the > parts of his realm. Over them were three vice-regents, one of whom was > Daniel. The governors > reported to the vice-regents, who made sure that everything was in order > for the king. But Daniel, > brimming with spirit and intelligence, so completely outclassed the other > vice-regents and governors > that the king decided to put him in charge of the whole kingdom. > 4-5 The vice-regents and governors got together to find some old scandal > or skeleton in Daniel's > life that they could use against him, but they couldn't dig up anything. > He was totally exemplary > and trustworthy. They could find no evidence of negligence or misconduct. > So they finally gave up > and said, "We're never going to find anything against this Daniel unless > we can cook up something > religious." > > 6-7 The vice-regents and governors conspired together and then went to the > king and said, "King > Darius, live forever! We've convened your vice-regents, governors, and all > your leading officials, > and have agreed that the king should issue the following decree: > > For the next thirty days no one is to pray to any god or mortal except > you, O king. Anyone who > disobeys will be thrown into the lions' den. > > 8 "Issue this decree, O king, and make it unconditional, as if written in > stone like all the laws > of the Medes and the Persians." > > 9 King Darius signed the decree. > > 10 When Daniel learned that the decree had been signed and posted, he > continued to pray just as he > had always done. His house had windows in the upstairs that opened toward > Jerusalem. Three times a > day he knelt there in prayer, thanking and praising his God. > > 11-12 The conspirators came and found him praying, asking God for help. > They went straight to the > king and reminded him of the royal decree that he had signed. "Did you > not," they said, "sign a > decree forbidding anyone to pray to any god or man except you for the next > thirty days? And anyone > caught doing it would be thrown into the lions' den?" > > "Absolutely," said the king. "Written in stone, like all the laws of > the Medes and Persians." > > 13 Then they said, "Daniel, one of the Jewish exiles, ignores you, O king, > and defies your decree. > Three times a day he prays." > > 14 At this, the king was very upset and tried his best to get Daniel out > of the fix he'd put him > in. He worked at it the whole day long. > > 15 But then the conspirators were back: "Remember, O king, it's the law of > the Medes and Persians > that the king's decree can never be changed." > > 16 The king caved in and ordered Daniel brought and thrown into the lions' > den. But he said to > Daniel, "Your God, to whom you are so loyal, is going to get you out of > this." > > 17 A stone slab was placed over the opening of the den. The king sealed > the cover with his signet > ring and the signet rings of all his nobles, fixing Daniel's fate. > > 18 The king then went back to his palace. He refused supper. He couldn't > sleep. He spent the night > fasting. > > 19-20 At daybreak the king got up and hurried to the lions' den. As he > approached the den, he > called out anxiously, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, > whom you serve so loyally, > saved you from the lions?" > > 21-22 "O king, live forever!" said Daniel. "My God sent his angel, who > closed the mouths of the > lions so that they would not hurt me. I've been found innocent before God > and also before you, O > king. I've done nothing to harm you." > > 23 When the king heard these words, he was happy. He ordered Daniel taken > up out of the den. When > he was hauled up, there wasn't a scratch on him. He had trusted his God. > > 24 Then the king commanded that the conspirators who had informed on > Daniel be thrown into the > lions' den, along with their wives and children. Before they hit the > floor, the lions had them in > their jaws, tearing them to pieces. > > 25-27 King Darius published this proclamation to every race, color, and > creed on earth: > > Peace to you! Abundant peace! > I decree that Daniel's God shall be worshiped and feared > in all parts of my kingdom. > He is the living God, world without end. His kingdom > never falls. > His rule continues eternally. > He is a savior and rescuer. > He performs astonishing miracles in heaven and on earth. > He saved Daniel from the power of the lions. > > 28 From then on, Daniel was treated well during the reign of Darius, and > also in the following > reign of Cyrus the Persian. > > > > > > > ~~~~~ > Please join us on Skype Monday thru Friday at 8:00 EST for our Morning > Skype Prayer Time. > Also, follow my tweets on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/Donnie1261 > > > 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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