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: Sunday, October 11, 2009 12:05 AM Subject: Daily Bible Reading For Sunday October 11 > Day 284 > > Matthew 4 > The Test > 1-3 Next Jesus was taken into the wild by the Spirit for the Test. The > Devil was ready to give it. > Jesus prepared for the Test by fasting forty days and forty nights. That > left him, of course, in a > state of extreme hunger, which the Devil took advantage of in the first > test: "Since you are God's > Son, speak the word that will turn these stones into loaves of bread." > 4Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: "It takes more than bread to stay > alive. It takes a steady > stream of words from God's mouth." > > 5-6For the second test the Devil took him to the Holy City. He sat him on > top of the Temple and > said, "Since you are God's Son, jump." The Devil goaded him by quoting > Psalm 91: "He has placed you > in the care of angels. They will catch you so that you won't so much as > stub your toe on a stone." > > 7Jesus countered with another citation from Deuteronomy: "Don't you dare > test the Lord your God." > > 8-9For the third test, the Devil took him to the peak of a huge mountain. > He gestured expansively, > pointing out all the earth's kingdoms, how glorious they all were. Then he > said, "They're > yours-lock, stock, and barrel. Just go down on your knees and worship me, > and they're yours." > > 10Jesus' refusal was curt: "Beat it, Satan!" He backed his rebuke with a > third quotation from > Deuteronomy: "Worship the Lord your God, and only him. Serve him with > absolute single-heartedness." > > 11The Test was over. The Devil left. And in his place, angels! Angels came > and took care of Jesus' > needs. > > Teaching and Healing > 12-17When Jesus got word that John had been arrested, he returned to > Galilee. He moved from his > hometown, Nazareth, to the lakeside village Capernaum, nestled at the base > of the Zebulun and > Naphtali hills. This move completed Isaiah's sermon: > > Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, > road to the sea, over Jordan, > Galilee, crossroads for the nations. > People sitting out their lives in the dark > saw a huge light; > Sitting in that dark, dark country of death, > they watched the sun come up. > This Isaiah-prophesied sermon came to life in Galilee the moment Jesus > started preaching. He > picked up where John left off: "Change your life. God's kingdom is here." > > 18-20Walking along the beach of Lake Galilee, Jesus saw two brothers: > Simon (later called Peter) > and Andrew. They were fishing, throwing their nets into the lake. It was > their regular work. Jesus > said to them, "Come with me. I'll make a new kind of fisherman out of you. > I'll show you how to > catch men and women instead of perch and bass." They didn't ask questions, > but simply dropped their > nets and followed. > > 21-22A short distance down the beach they came upon another pair of > brothers, James and John, > Zebedee's sons. These two were sitting in a boat with their father, > Zebedee, mending their fishnets. > Jesus made the same offer to them, and they were just as quick to follow, > abandoning boat and > father. > > 23-25From there he went all over Galilee. He used synagogues for meeting > places and taught people > the truth of God. God's kingdom was his theme-that beginning right now > they were under God's > government, a good government! He also healed people of their diseases and > of the bad effects of > their bad lives. Word got around the entire Roman province of Syria. > People brought anybody with an > ailment, whether mental, emotional, or physical. Jesus healed them, one > and all. More and more > people came, the momentum gathering. Besides those from Galilee, crowds > came from the "Ten Towns" > across the lake, others up from Jerusalem and Judea, still others from > across the Jordan. > > Matthew 5 > You're Blessed > 1-2 When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a > hillside. Those who were > apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet > place, he sat down and > taught his climbing companions. This is what he said: > 3"You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you > there is more of God and his > rule. > > 4"You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only > then can you be embraced > by the One most dear to you. > > 5"You're blessed when you're content with just who you are-no more, no > less. That's the moment you > find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought. > > 6"You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food > and drink in the best > meal you'll ever eat. > > 7"You're blessed when you care. At the moment of being 'care-full,' you > find yourselves cared for. > > 8"You're blessed when you get your inside world-your mind and heart-put > right. Then you can see God > in the outside world. > > 9"You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of > compete or fight. That's when > you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family. > > 10"You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The > persecution drives you even > deeper into God's kingdom. > > 11-12"Not only that-count yourselves blessed every time people put you > down or throw you out or > speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is > too close for comfort and > they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens-give a cheer, > even!-for though they don't > like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good > company. My prophets and > witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble. > > Salt and Light > 13"Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that > brings out the > God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people > taste godliness? You've lost > your usefulness and will end up in the garbage. > 14-16"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out > the God-colors in the > world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as > public as a city on a hill. > If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a > bucket, do you? I'm > putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on > a light stand-shine! Keep > open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll > prompt people to open up > with God, this generous Father in heaven. > > Completing God's Law > 17-18"Don't suppose for a minute that I have come to demolish the > Scriptures- either God's Law or > the Prophets. I'm not here to demolish but to complete. I am going to put > it all together, pull it > all together in a vast panorama. God's Law is more real and lasting than > the stars in the sky and > the ground at your feet. Long after stars burn out and earth wears out, > God's Law will be alive and > working. > 19-20"Trivialize even the smallest item in God's Law and you will only > have trivialized yourself. > But take it seriously, show the way for others, and you will find honor in > the kingdom. Unless you > do far better than the Pharisees in the matters of right living, you won't > know the first thing > about entering the kingdom. > > Murder > 21-22"You're familiar with the command to the ancients, 'Do not murder.' > I'm telling you that > anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of > murder. Carelessly call a > brother 'idiot!' and you just might find yourself hauled into court. > Thoughtlessly yell 'stupid!' at > a sister and you are on the brink of hellfire. The simple moral fact is > that words kill. > 23-24"This is how I want you to conduct yourself in these matters. If you > enter your place of > worship and, about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a > friend has against you, > abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make > things right. Then and only > then, come back and work things out with God. > > 25-26"Or say you're out on the street and an old enemy accosts you. Don't > lose a minute. Make the > first move; make things right with him. After all, if you leave the first > move to him, knowing his > track record, you're likely to end up in court, maybe even jail. If that > happens, you won't get out > without a stiff fine. > > Adultery and Divorce > 27-28"You know the next commandment pretty well, too: 'Don't go to bed > with another's spouse.' But > don't think you've preserved your virtue simply by staying out of bed. > Your heart can be corrupted > by lust even quicker than your body. Those leering looks you think nobody > notices-they also corrupt. > 29-30"Let's not pretend this is easier than it really is. If you want to > live a morally pure life, > here's what you have to do: You have to blind your right eye the moment > you catch it in a lustful > leer. You have to choose to live one-eyed or else be dumped on a moral > trash pile. And you have to > chop off your right hand the moment you notice it raised threateningly. > Better a bloody stump than > your entire being discarded for good in the dump. > > 31-32"Remember the Scripture that says, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let > him do it legally, giving > her divorce papers and her legal rights'? Too many of you are using that > as a cover for selfishness > and whim, pretending to be righteous just because you are 'legal.' Please, > no more pretending. If > you divorce your wife, you're responsible for making her an adulteress > (unless she has already made > herself that by sexual promiscuity). And if you marry such a divorced > adulteress, you're > automatically an adulterer yourself. You can't use legal cover to mask a > moral failure. > > Empty Promises > 33-37"And don't say anything you don't mean. This counsel is embedded deep > in our traditions. You > only make things worse when you lay down a smoke screen of pious talk, > saying, 'I'll pray for you,' > and never doing it, or saying, 'God be with you,' and not meaning it. You > don't make your words true > by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more > religious, it becomes > less true. Just say 'yes' and 'no.' When you manipulate words to get your > own way, you go wrong. > Love Your Enemies > 38-42"Here's another old saying that deserves a second look: 'Eye for eye, > tooth for tooth.' Is > that going to get us anywhere? Here's what I propose: 'Don't hit back at > all.' If someone strikes > you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for > the shirt off your back, > giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes > unfair advantage of you, use > the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live > generously. > 43-47"You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and > its unwritten companion, > 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your > enemies. Let them bring out > the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, > respond with the energies of > prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created > selves. This is what God > does. He gives his best-the sun to warm and the rain to nourish-to > everyone, regardless: the good > and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you > expect a bonus? Anybody can > do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a > medal? Any run-of-the-mill > sinner does that. > > 48"In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now > live like it. Live out your > God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the > way God lives toward you." > > Matthew 6 > The World Is Not a Stage > 1 "Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don't > make a performance out of > it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won't be > applauding. 2-4"When you do > something for someone else, don't call attention to yourself. You've seen > them in action, I'm > sure-'playactors' I call them- treating prayer meeting and street corner > alike as a stage, acting > compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They > get applause, true, but > that's all they get. When you help someone out, don't think about how it > looks. Just do it-quietly > and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, > working behind the scenes, > helps you out. > Pray with Simplicity > 5"And when you come before God, don't turn that into a theatrical > production either. All these > people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do > you think God sits in a > box seat? > 6"Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't > be tempted to role-play > before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The > focus will shift from you to > God, and you will begin to sense his grace. > > 7-13"The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are > prayer-ignorant. They're full of > formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you > want from God. Don't fall > for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows > better than you what you > need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like > this: > > Our Father in heaven, > Reveal who you are. > Set the world right; > Do what's best- as above, so below. > Keep us alive with three square meals. > Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. > Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil. > You're in charge! > You can do anything you want! > You're ablaze in beauty! > Yes. Yes. Yes. > > 14-15"In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you > do. You can't get > forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you > refuse to do your part, > you cut yourself off from God's part. > > 16-18"When you practice some appetite-denying discipline to better > concentrate on God, don't make a > production out of it. It might turn you into a small-time celebrity but it > won't make you a saint. > If you 'go into training' inwardly, act normal outwardly. Shampoo and comb > your hair, brush your > teeth, wash your face. God doesn't require attention-getting devices. He > won't overlook what you are > doing; he'll reward you well. > > A Life of God-Worship > 19-21"Don't hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and > corroded by rust > or-worse!-stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it's > safe from moth and rust and > burglars. It's obvious, isn't it? The place where your treasure is, is the > place you will most want > to be, and end up being. > 22-23"Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in > wonder and belief, your > body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, > your body is a dank > cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will > have! > > 24"You can't worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you'll end up > hating the other. Adoration of > one feeds contempt for the other. You can't worship God and Money both. > > 25-26"If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that > you don't fuss about > what's on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are > in fashion. There is far > more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your > outer appearance than the > clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not > tied down to a job > description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him > than birds. > > 27-29"Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by > so much as an inch? All > this time and money wasted on fashion-do you think it makes that much > difference? Instead of looking > at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. > They never primp or shop, but > have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed > men and women in the country > look shabby alongside them. > > 30-33"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers-most of > which are never even > seen-don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best > for you? What I'm trying to > do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so > you can respond to God's > giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these > things, but you know both God > and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, > God-provisions. Don't worry about > missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. > > 34"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't > get worked up about what > may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard > things come up when the > time comes. > > > > > > > > ~~~~~ > 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. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/dbilg?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
