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: Thursday, October 15, 2009 8:39 PM Subject: Daily Bible Reading For Friday October 16 > Day 289 > > Matthew 19-21 (The Message) > > Matthew 19 > Divorce > 1-2 When Jesus had completed these teachings, he left Galilee and crossed > the region of Judea on > the other side of the Jordan. Great crowds followed him there, and he > healed them. 3One day the > Pharisees were badgering him: "Is it legal for a man to divorce his wife > for any reason?" > 4-6He answered, "Haven't you read in your Bible that the Creator > originally made man and woman for > each other, male and female? And because of this, a man leaves father and > mother and is firmly > bonded to his wife, becoming one flesh-no longer two bodies but one. > Because God created this > organic union of the two sexes, no one should desecrate his art by cutting > them apart." > > 7They shot back in rebuttal, "If that's so, why did Moses give > instructions for divorce papers and > divorce procedures?" > > 8-9Jesus said, "Moses provided for divorce as a concession to your hard > heartedness, but it is not > part of God's original plan. I'm holding you to the original plan, and > holding you liable for > adultery if you divorce your faithful wife and then marry someone else. I > make an exception in cases > where the spouse has committed adultery." > > 10Jesus' disciples objected, "If those are the terms of marriage, we're > stuck. Why get married?" > > 11-12But Jesus said, "Not everyone is mature enough to live a married > life. It requires a certain > aptitude and grace. Marriage isn't for everyone. Some, from birth > seemingly, never give marriage a > thought. Others never get asked-or accepted. And some decide not to get > married for kingdom reasons. > But if you're capable of growing into the largeness of marriage, do it." > > To Enter God's Kingdom > 13-15One day children were brought to Jesus in the hope that he would lay > hands on them and pray > over them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus intervened: "Let the > children alone, don't > prevent them from coming to me. God's kingdom is made up of people like > these." After laying hands > on them, he left. > 16Another day, a man stopped Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing > must I do to get eternal > life?" > > 17Jesus said, "Why do you question me about what's good? God is the One > who is good. If you want to > enter the life of God, just do what he tells you." > > 18-19The man asked, "What in particular?" > > Jesus said, "Don't murder, don't commit adultery, don't steal, don't > lie, honor your father and > mother, and love your neighbor as you do yourself." > > 20The young man said, "I've done all that. What's left?" > > 21"If you want to give it all you've got," Jesus replied, "go sell your > possessions; give > everything to the poor. All your wealth will then be in heaven. Then come > follow me." > > 22That was the last thing the young man expected to hear. And so, > crest-fallen, he walked away. He > was holding on tight to a lot of things, and he couldn't bear to let go. > > 23-24As he watched him go, Jesus told his disciples, "Do you have any idea > how difficult it is for > the rich to enter God's kingdom? Let me tell you, it's easier to gallop a > camel through a needle's > eye than for the rich to enter God's kingdom." > > 25The disciples were staggered. "Then who has any chance at all?" > > 26Jesus looked hard at them and said, "No chance at all if you think you > can pull it off yourself. > Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it." > > 27Then Peter chimed in, "We left everything and followed you. What do we > get out of it?" > > 28-30Jesus replied, "Yes, you have followed me. In the re-creation of the > world, when the Son of > Man will rule gloriously, you who have followed me will also rule, > starting with the twelve tribes > of Israel. And not only you, but anyone who sacrifices home, family, > fields-whatever-because of me > will get it all back a hundred times over, not to mention the considerable > bonus of eternal life. > This is the Great Reversal: many of the first ending up last, and the last > first." > > Matthew 20 > A Story About Workers > 1-2 "God's kingdom is like an estate manager who went out early in the > morning to hire workers for > his vineyard. They agreed on a wage of a dollar a day, and went to work. > 3-5"Later, about nine > o'clock, the manager saw some other men hanging around the town square > unemployed. He told them to > go to work in his vineyard and he would pay them a fair wage. They went. > 5-6"He did the same thing at noon, and again at three o'clock. At five > o'clock he went back and > found still others standing around. He said, 'Why are you standing around > all day doing nothing?' > > 7"They said, 'Because no one hired us.' > > "He told them to go to work in his vineyard. > > 8"When the day's work was over, the owner of the vineyard instructed his > foreman, 'Call the workers > in and pay them their wages. Start with the last hired and go on to the > first.' > > 9-12"Those hired at five o'clock came up and were each given a dollar. > When those who were hired > first saw that, they assumed they would get far more. But they got the > same, each of them one > dollar. Taking the dollar, they groused angrily to the manager, 'These > last workers put in only one > easy hour, and you just made them equal to us, who slaved all day under a > scorching sun.' > > 13-15"He replied to the one speaking for the rest, 'Friend, I haven't been > unfair. We agreed on the > wage of a dollar, didn't we? So take it and go. I decided to give to the > one who came last the same > as you. Can't I do what I want with my own money? Are you going to get > stingy because I am > generous?' > > 16"Here it is again, the Great Reversal: many of the first ending up last, > and the last first." > > To Drink from the Cup > 17-19Jesus, now well on the way up to Jerusalem, took the Twelve off to > the side of the road and > said, "Listen to me carefully. We are on our way up to Jerusalem. When we > get there, the Son of Man > will be betrayed to the religious leaders and scholars. They will sentence > him to death. They will > then hand him over to the Romans for mockery and torture and crucifixion. > On the third day he will > be raised up alive." > 20It was about that time that the mother of the Zebedee brothers came with > her two sons and knelt > before Jesus with a request. > > 21"What do you want?" Jesus asked. > > She said, "Give your word that these two sons of mine will be awarded > the highest places of honor > in your kingdom, one at your right hand, one at your left hand." > > 22Jesus responded, "You have no idea what you're asking." And he said to > James and John, "Are you > capable of drinking the cup that I'm about to drink?" > > They said, "Sure, why not?" > > 23Jesus said, "Come to think of it, you are going to drink my cup. But as > to awarding places of > honor, that's not my business. My Father is taking care of that." > > 24-28When the ten others heard about this, they lost their tempers, > thoroughly disgusted with the > two brothers. So Jesus got them together to settle things down. He said, > "You've observed how > godless rulers throw their weight around, how quickly a little power goes > to their heads. It's not > going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a > servant. Whoever wants to be > first among you must be your slave. That is what the Son of Man has done: > He came to serve, not be > served-and then to give away his life in exchange for the many who are > held hostage." > > 29-31As they were leaving Jericho, a huge crowd followed. Suddenly they > came upon two blind men > sitting alongside the road. When they heard it was Jesus passing, they > cried out, "Master, have > mercy on us! Mercy, Son of David!" The crowd tried to hush them up, but > they got all the louder, > crying, "Master, have mercy on us! Mercy, Son of David!" > > 32Jesus stopped and called over, "What do you want from me?" > > 33They said, "Master, we want our eyes opened. We want to see!" > > 34Deeply moved, Jesus touched their eyes. They had their sight back that > very instant, and joined > the procession. > > Matthew 21 > The Royal Welcome > 1-3When they neared Jerusalem, having arrived at Bethphage on Mount > Olives, Jesus sent two > disciples with these instructions: "Go over to the village across from > you. You'll find a donkey > tethered there, her colt with her. Untie her and bring them to me. If > anyone asks what you're doing, > say, 'The Master needs them!' He will send them with you." > 4-5This is the full story of what was sketched earlier by the prophet: > > Tell Zion's daughter, > "Look, your king's on his way, > poised and ready, mounted > On a donkey, on a colt, > foal of a pack animal." > > 6-9The disciples went and did exactly what Jesus told them to do. They led > the donkey and colt out, > laid some of their clothes on them, and Jesus mounted. Nearly all the > people in the crowd threw > their garments down on the road, giving him a royal welcome. Others cut > branches from the trees and > threw them down as a welcome mat. Crowds went ahead and crowds followed, > all of them calling out, > "Hosanna to David's son!" "Blessed is he who comes in God's name!" > "Hosanna in highest heaven!" > > 10As he made his entrance into Jerusalem, the whole city was shaken. > Unnerved, people were asking, > "What's going on here? Who is this?" > > 11The parade crowd answered, "This is the prophet Jesus, the one from > Nazareth in Galilee." > > He Kicked Over the Tables > 12-14Jesus went straight to the Temple and threw out everyone who had set > up shop, buying and > selling. He kicked over the tables of loan sharks and the stalls of dove > merchants. He quoted this > text: > > My house was designated a house of prayer; > You have made it a hangout for thieves. > Now there was room for the blind and crippled to get in. They came to > Jesus and he healed them. > 15-16When the religious leaders saw the outrageous things he was doing, > and heard all the children > running and shouting through the Temple, "Hosanna to David's Son!" they > were up in arms and took him > to task. "Do you hear what these children are saying?" > > Jesus said, "Yes, I hear them. And haven't you read in God's Word, 'From > the mouths of children > and babies I'll furnish a place of praise'?" > > 17Fed up, Jesus turned on his heel and left the city for Bethany, where he > spent the night. > > The Withered Fig Tree > 18-20Early the next morning Jesus was returning to the city. He was > hungry. Seeing a lone fig tree > alongside the road, he approached it anticipating a breakfast of figs. > When he got to the tree, > there was nothing but fig leaves. He said, "No more figs from this > tree-ever!" The fig tree withered > on the spot, a dry stick. The disciples saw it happen. They rubbed their > eyes, saying, "Did we > really see this? A leafy tree one minute, a dry stick the next?" > 21-22But Jesus was matter-of-fact: "Yes-and if you embrace this kingdom > life and don't doubt God, > you'll not only do minor feats like I did to the fig tree, but also > triumph over huge obstacles. > This mountain, for instance, you'll tell, 'Go jump in the lake,' and it > will jump. Absolutely > everything, ranging from small to large, as you make it a part of your > believing prayer, gets > included as you lay hold of God." > > True Authority > 23Then he was back in the Temple, teaching. The high priests and leaders > of the people came up and > demanded, "Show us your credentials. Who authorized you to teach here?" > 24-25Jesus responded, "First let me ask you a question. You answer my > question and I'll answer > yours. About the baptism of John-who authorized it: heaven or humans?" > > 25-27They were on the spot and knew it. They pulled back into a huddle and > whispered, "If we say > 'heaven,' he'll ask us why we didn't believe him; if we say 'humans,' > we're up against it with the > people because they all hold John up as a prophet." They decided to > concede that round to Jesus. "We > don't know," they answered. > > Jesus said, "Then neither will I answer your question. > > The Story of Two Sons > 28"Tell me what you think of this story: A man had two sons. He went up to > the first and said, > 'Son, go out for the day and work in the vineyard.' > 29"The son answered, 'I don't want to.' Later on he thought better of it > and went. > > 30"The father gave the same command to the second son. He answered, 'Sure, > glad to.' But he never > went. > > 31-32"Which of the two sons did what the father asked?" > > They said, "The first." > > Jesus said, "Yes, and I tell you that crooks and whores are going to > precede you into God's > kingdom. John came to you showing you the right road. You turned up your > noses at him, but the > crooks and whores believed him. Even when you saw their changed lives, you > didn't care enough to > change and believe him. > > The Story of the Greedy Farmhands > 33-34"Here's another story. Listen closely. There was once a man, a > wealthy farmer, who planted a > vineyard. He fenced it, dug a winepress, put up a watchtower, then turned > it over to the farmhands > and went off on a trip. When it was time to harvest the grapes, he sent > his servants back to collect > his profits. > 35-37"The farmhands grabbed the first servant and beat him up. The next > one they murdered. They > threw stones at the third but he got away. The owner tried again, sending > more servants. They got > the same treatment. The owner was at the end of his rope. He decided to > send his son. 'Surely,' he > thought, 'they will respect my son.' > > 38-39"But when the farmhands saw the son arrive, they rubbed their hands > in greed. 'This is the > heir! Let's kill him and have it all for ourselves.' They grabbed him, > threw him out, and killed > him. > > 40"Now, when the owner of the vineyard arrives home from his trip, what do > you think he will do to > the farmhands?" > > 41"He'll kill them-a rotten bunch, and good riddance," they answered. > "Then he'll assign the > vineyard to farmhands who will hand over the profits when it's time." > > 42-44Jesus said, "Right-and you can read it for yourselves in your Bibles: > > The stone the masons threw out > is now the cornerstone. > This is God's work; > we rub our eyes, we can hardly believe it! > "This is the way it is with you. God's kingdom will be taken back from you > and handed over to a > people who will live out a kingdom life. Whoever stumbles on this Stone > gets shattered; whoever the > Stone falls on gets smashed." > > 45-46When the religious leaders heard this story, they knew it was aimed > at them. They wanted to > arrest Jesus and put him in jail, but, intimidated by public opinion, they > held back. Most people > held him to be a prophet of God. > > > > > > > > ~~~~~ > 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 -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
