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: Monday, September 28, 2009 11:42 PM Subject: Daily Bible Reading For Tuesday September 29 > Day 272 > > Micah 4-7 (The Message) > > Micah 4 > The Making of God's People > 1-4 But when all is said and done, > God's Temple on the mountain, > Firmly fixed, will dominate all mountains, > towering above surrounding hills. > People will stream to it > and many nations set out for it, > Saying, "Come, let's climb God's mountain. > Let's go to the Temple of Jacob's God. > He will teach us how to live. > We'll know how to live God's way." > True teaching will issue from Zion, > God's revelation from Jerusalem. > He'll establish justice in the rabble of nations > and settle disputes in faraway places. > They'll trade in their swords for shovels, > their spears for rakes and hoes. > Nations will quit fighting each other, > quit learning how to kill one another. > Each man will sit under his own shade tree, > each woman in safety will tend her own garden. > God-of-the-Angel-Armies says so, > and he means what he says. > 5Meanwhile, all the other people live however they wish, > picking and choosing their gods. > But we live honoring God, > and we're loyal to our God forever and ever. > > 6-7"On that great day," God says, > "I will round up all the hurt and homeless, > everyone I have bruised or banished. > I will transform the battered into a company of the elite. > I will make a strong nation out of the long lost, > A showcase exhibit of God's rule in action, > as I rule from Mount Zion, from here to eternity. > > 8"And you stragglers around Jerusalem, > eking out a living in shantytowns: > The glory that once was will be again. > Jerusalem's daughter will be the kingdom center." > > 9-10So why the doomsday hysterics? > You still have a king, don't you? > But maybe he's not doing his job > and you're panicked like a woman in labor. > Well, go ahead-twist and scream, Daughter Jerusalem. > You are like a woman in childbirth. > You'll soon be out of the city, on your way > and camping in the open country. > And then you'll arrive in Babylon. > What you lost in Jerusalem will be found in Babylon. > God will give you new life again. > He'll redeem you from your enemies. > > 11-12But for right now, they're ganged up against you, > many godless peoples, saying, > "Kick her when she's down! Violate her! > We want to see Zion grovel in the dirt." > These blasphemers have no idea > what God is thinking and doing in this. > They don't know that this is the making of God's people, > that they are wheat being threshed, gold being refined. > > 13On your feet, Daughter of Zion! Be threshed of chaff, > be refined of dross. > I'm remaking you into a people invincible, > into God's juggernaut to crush the godless peoples. > You'll bring their plunder as holy offerings to God, > their wealth to the Master of the earth. > > Micah 5 > The Leader Who Will Shepherd-Rule Israel > 1 But for now, prepare for the worst, victim daughter! The siege is set > against us. > They humiliate Israel's king, > slapping him around like a rag doll. > 2-4But you, Bethlehem, David's country, > the runt of the litter- > From you will come the leader > who will shepherd-rule Israel. > He'll be no upstart, no pretender. > His family tree is ancient and distinguished. > Meanwhile, Israel will be in foster homes > until the birth pangs are over and the child is born, > And the scattered brothers come back > home to the family of Israel. > He will stand tall in his shepherd-rule by God's strength, > centered in the majesty of God-Revealed. > And the people will have a good and safe home, > for the whole world will hold him in respect- > Peacemaker of the world! > > 5-6And if some bullying Assyrian shows up, > invades and violates our land, don't worry. > We'll put him in his place, send him packing, > and watch his every move. > Shepherd-rule will extend as far as needed, > to Assyria and all other Nimrod-bullies. > Our shepherd-ruler will save us from old or new enemies, > from anyone who invades or violates our land. > > 7The purged and select company of Jacob will be > like an island in the sea of peoples. > They'll be like dew from God, > like summer showers > Not mentioned in the weather forecast, > not subject to calculation or control. > > 8-9Yes, the purged and select company of Jacob will be > like an island in the sea of peoples, > Like the king of beasts among wild beasts, > like a young lion loose in a flock of sheep, > Killing and devouring the lambs > and no one able to stop him. > With your arms raised in triumph over your foes, > your enemies will be no more! > > 10-15"The day is coming" > -God's Decree- > "When there will be no more war. None. > I'll slaughter your war horses and demolish your chariots. > I'll dismantle military posts > and level your fortifications. > I'll abolish your religious black markets, > your underworld traffic in black magic. > I will smash your carved and cast gods > and chop down your phallic posts. > No more taking control of the world, > worshiping what you do or make. > I'll root out your sacred sex-and-power centers > and destroy the God-defiant. > In raging anger, I'll make a clean sweep > of godless nations who haven't listened." > > Micah 6 > What God Is Looking For > 1-2 Listen now, listen to God: "Take your stand in court. > If you have a complaint, tell the mountains; > make your case to the hills. > And now, Mountains, hear God's case; > listen, Jury Earth- > For I am bringing charges against my people. > I am building a case against Israel. > 3-5"Dear people, how have I done you wrong? > Have I burdened you, worn you out? Answer! > I delivered you from a bad life in Egypt; > I paid a good price to get you out of slavery. > I sent Moses to lead you- > and Aaron and Miriam to boot! > Remember what Balak king of Moab tried to pull, > and how Balaam son of Beor turned the tables on him. > Remember all those stories about Shittim and Gilgal. > Keep all God's salvation stories fresh and present." > > 6-7How can I stand up before God > and show proper respect to the high God? > Should I bring an armload of offerings > topped off with yearling calves? > Would God be impressed with thousands of rams, > with buckets and barrels of olive oil? > Would he be moved if I sacrificed my firstborn child, > my precious baby, to cancel my sin? > > 8But he's already made it plain how to live, what to do, > what God is looking for in men and women. > It's quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, > be compassionate and loyal in your love, > And don't take yourself too seriously- > take God seriously. > > 9Attention! God calls out to the city! > If you know what's good for you, you'll listen. > So listen, all of you! > This is serious business. > > 10-16"Do you expect me to overlook obscene wealth > you've piled up by cheating and fraud? > Do you think I'll tolerate shady deals > and shifty scheming? > I'm tired of the violent rich > bullying their way with bluffs and lies. > I'm fed up. Beginning now, you're finished. > You'll pay for your sins down to your last cent. > No matter how much you get, it will never be enough- > hollow stomachs, empty hearts. > No matter how hard you work, you'll have nothing to show for it- > bankrupt lives, wasted souls. > You'll plant grass > but never get a lawn. > You'll make jelly > but never spread it on your bread. > You'll press apples > but never drink the cider. > You have lived by the standards of your king, Omri, > the decadent lifestyle of the family of Ahab. > Because you've slavishly followed their fashions, > I'm forcing you into bankruptcy. > Your way of life will be laughed at, a tasteless joke. > Your lives will be derided as futile and fake." > > Micah 7 > Stick Around to See What God Will Do > 1-6 I'm overwhelmed with sorrow! sunk in a swamp of despair! > I'm like someone who goes to the garden > to pick cabbages and carrots and corn > And returns empty-handed, > finds nothing for soup or sandwich or salad. > There's not a decent person in sight. > Right-living humans are extinct. > They're all out for one another's blood, > animals preying on each other. > They've all become experts in evil. > Corrupt leaders demand bribes. > The powerful rich > make sure they get what they want. > The best and brightest are thistles. > The top of the line is crabgrass. > But no longer: It's exam time. > Look at them slinking away in disgrace! > Don't trust your neighbor, > don't confide in your friend. > Watch your words, > even with your spouse. > Neighborhoods and families are falling to pieces. > The closer they are-sons, daughters, in-laws- > The worse they can be. > Your own family is the enemy. > 7But me, I'm not giving up. > I'm sticking around to see what God will do. > I'm waiting for God to make things right. > I'm counting on God to listen to me. > > Spreading Your Wings > 8-10Don't, enemy, crow over me. > I'm down, but I'm not out. > I'm sitting in the dark right now, > but God is my light. > I can take God's punishing rage. > I deserve it-I sinned. > But it's not forever. He's on my side > and is going to get me out of this. > He'll turn on the lights and show me his ways. > I'll see the whole picture and how right he is. > And my enemy will see it, too, > and be discredited-yes, disgraced! > This enemy who kept taunting, > "So where is this God of yours?" > I'm going to see it with these, my own eyes- > my enemy disgraced, trash in the gutter. > 11-13Oh, that will be a day! A day for rebuilding your city, > a day for stretching your arms, spreading your wings! > All your dispersed and scattered people will come back, > old friends and family from faraway places, > From Assyria in the east to Egypt in the west, > from across the seas and out of the mountains. > But there'll be a reversal for everyone else-massive depopulation- > because of the way they lived, the things they did. > > 14-17Shepherd, O God, your people with your staff, > your dear and precious flock. > Uniquely yours in a grove of trees, > centered in lotus land. > Let them graze in lush Bashan > as in the old days in green Gilead. > Reproduce the miracle-wonders > of our exodus from Egypt. > And the godless nations: Put them in their place- > humiliated in their arrogance, speechless and clueless. > Make them slink like snakes, crawl like cockroaches, > come out of their holes from under their rocks > And face our God. > Fill them with holy fear and trembling. > > 18-20Where is the god who can compare with you- > wiping the slate clean of guilt, > Turning a blind eye, a deaf ear, > to the past sins of your purged and precious people? > You don't nurse your anger and don't stay angry long, > for mercy is your specialty. That's what you love most. > And compassion is on its way to us. > You'll stamp out our wrongdoing. > You'll sink our sins > to the bottom of the ocean. > You'll stay true to your word to Father Jacob > and continue the compassion you showed Grandfather Abraham- > Everything you promised our ancestors > from a long time ago. > > > > > > > ~~~~~ > 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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