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, October 20, 2009 12:31 AM Subject: Daily Bible Reading For Tuesday October 20 > Day 293 > > Mark 4-6 (The Message) > > Mark 4 > The Story of the Scattered Seed > 1-2 He went back to teaching by the sea. A crowd built up to such a great > size that he had to get > into an offshore boat, using the boat as a pulpit as the people pushed to > the water's edge. He > taught by using stories, many stories. > 3-8"Listen. What do you make of this? A farmer planted seed. As he > scattered the seed, some of it > fell on the road and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted > quickly but didn't put down > roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. Some fell in > the weeds; as it came up, > it was strangled among the weeds and nothing came of it. Some fell on good > earth and came up with a > flourish, producing a harvest exceeding his wildest dreams. > > 9"Are you listening to this? Really listening?" > > 10-12When they were off by themselves, those who were close to him, along > with the Twelve, asked > about the stories. He told them, "You've been given insight into God's > kingdom-you know how it > works. But to those who can't see it yet, everything comes in stories, > creating readiness, nudging > them toward receptive insight. These are people- > > Whose eyes are open but don't see a thing, > Whose ears are open but don't understand a word, > Who avoid making an about-face and getting forgiven." > > 13He continued, "Do you see how this story works? All my stories work this > way. > > 14-15"The farmer plants the Word. Some people are like the seed that falls > on the hardened soil of > the road. No sooner do they hear the Word than Satan snatches away what > has been planted in them. > > 16-17"And some are like the seed that lands in the gravel. When they first > hear the Word, they > respond with great enthusiasm. But there is such shallow soil of character > that when the emotions > wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it. > > 18-19"The seed cast in the weeds represents the ones who hear the kingdom > news but are overwhelmed > with worries about all the things they have to do and all the things they > want to get. The stress > strangles what they heard, and nothing comes of it. > > 20"But the seed planted in the good earth represents those who hear the > Word, embrace it, and > produce a harvest beyond their wildest dreams." > > Giving, Not Getting > 21-22Jesus went on: "Does anyone bring a lamp home and put it under a > washtub or beneath the bed? > Don't you put it up on a table or on the mantel? We're not keeping > secrets, we're telling them; > we're not hiding things, we're bringing them out into the open. > 23"Are you listening to this? Really listening? > > 24-25"Listen carefully to what I am saying-and be wary of the shrewd > advice that tells you how to > get ahead in the world on your own. Giving, not getting, is the way. > Generosity begets generosity. > Stinginess impoverishes." > > Never Without a Story > 26-29Then Jesus said, "God's kingdom is like seed thrown on a field by a > man who then goes to bed > and forgets about it. The seed sprouts and grows-he has no idea how it > happens. The earth does it > all without his help: first a green stem of grass, then a bud, then the > ripened grain. When the > grain is fully formed, he reaps-harvest time! > 30-32"How can we picture God's kingdom? What kind of story can we use? > It's like a pine nut. When > it lands on the ground it is quite small as seeds go, yet once it is > planted it grows into a huge > pine tree with thick branches. Eagles nest in it." > > 33-34With many stories like these, he presented his message to them, > fitting the stories to their > experience and maturity. He was never without a story when he spoke. When > he was alone with his > disciples, he went over everything, sorting out the tangles, untying the > knots. > > The Wind Ran Out of Breath > 35-38Late that day he said to them, "Let's go across to the other side." > They took him in the boat > as he was. Other boats came along. A huge storm came up. Waves poured into > the boat, threatening to > sink it. And Jesus was in the stern, head on a pillow, sleeping! They > roused him, saying, "Teacher, > is it nothing to you that we're going down?" > 39-40Awake now, he told the wind to pipe down and said to the sea, "Quiet! > Settle down!" The wind > ran out of breath; the sea became smooth as glass. Jesus reprimanded the > disciples: "Why are you > such cowards? Don't you have any faith at all?" > > 41They were in absolute awe, staggered. "Who is this, anyway?" they asked. > "Wind and sea at his > beck and call!" > > Mark 5 > The Madman > 1-5 They arrived on the other side of the sea in the country of the > Gerasenes. As Jesus got out of > the boat, a madman from the cemetery came up to him. He lived there among > the tombs and graves. No > one could restrain him-he couldn't be chained, couldn't be tied down. He > had been tied up many times > with chains and ropes, but he broke the chains, snapped the ropes. No one > was strong enough to tame > him. Night and day he roamed through the graves and the hills, screaming > out and slashing himself > with sharp stones. > 6-8When he saw Jesus a long way off, he ran and bowed in worship before > him-then bellowed in > protest, "What business do you have, Jesus, Son of the High God, messing > with me? I swear to God, > don't give me a hard time!" (Jesus had just commanded the tormenting evil > spirit, "Out! Get out of > the man!") > > 9-10Jesus asked him, "Tell me your name." > > He replied, "My name is Mob. I'm a rioting mob." Then he desperately > begged Jesus not to banish > them from the country. > > 11-13A large herd of pigs was browsing and rooting on a nearby hill. The > demons begged him, "Send > us to the pigs so we can live in them." Jesus gave the order. But it was > even worse for the pigs > than for the man. Crazed, they stampeded over a cliff into the sea and > drowned. > > 14-15Those tending the pigs, scared to death, bolted and told their story > in town and country. > Everyone wanted to see what had happened. They came up to Jesus and saw > the madman sitting there > wearing decent clothes and making sense, no longer a walking madhouse of a > man. > > 16-17Those who had seen it told the others what had happened to the > demon-possessed man and the > pigs. At first they were in awe-and then they were upset, upset over the > drowned pigs. They demanded > that Jesus leave and not come back. > > 18-20As Jesus was getting into the boat, the demon-delivered man begged to > go along, but he > wouldn't let him. Jesus said, "Go home to your own people. Tell them your > story-what the Master did, > how he had mercy on you." The man went back and began to preach in the Ten > Towns area about what > Jesus had done for him. He was the talk of the town. > > A Risk of Faith > 21-24After Jesus crossed over by boat, a large crowd met him at the > seaside. One of the > meeting-place leaders named Jairus came. When he saw Jesus, he fell to his > knees, beside himself as > he begged, "My dear daughter is at death's door. Come and lay hands on her > so she will get well and > live." Jesus went with him, the whole crowd tagging along, pushing and > jostling him. > 25-29A woman who had suffered a condition of hemorrhaging for twelve > years-a long succession of > physicians had treated her, and treated her badly, taking all her money > and leaving her worse off > than before-had heard about Jesus. She slipped in from behind and touched > his robe. She was thinking > to herself, "If I can put a finger on his robe, I can get well." The > moment she did it, the flow of > blood dried up. She could feel the change and knew her plague was over and > done with. > > 30At the same moment, Jesus felt energy discharging from him. He turned > around to the crowd and > asked, "Who touched my robe?" > > 31His disciples said, "What are you talking about? With this crowd pushing > and jostling you, you're > asking, 'Who touched me?' Dozens have touched you!" > > 32-33But he went on asking, looking around to see who had done it. The > woman, knowing what had > happened, knowing she was the one, stepped up in fear and trembling, knelt > before him, and gave him > the whole story. > > 34Jesus said to her, "Daughter, you took a risk of faith, and now you're > healed and whole. Live > well, live blessed! Be healed of your plague." > > 35While he was still talking, some people came from the leader's house and > told him, "Your daughter > is dead. Why bother the Teacher any more?" > > 36Jesus overheard what they were talking about and said to the leader, > "Don't listen to them; just > trust me." > > 37-40He permitted no one to go in with him except Peter, James, and John. > They entered the leader's > house and pushed their way through the gossips looking for a story and > neighbors bringing in > casseroles. Jesus was abrupt: "Why all this busybody grief and gossip? > This child isn't dead; she's > sleeping." Provoked to sarcasm, they told him he didn't know what he was > talking about. > > 40-43But when he had sent them all out, he took the child's father and > mother, along with his > companions, and entered the child's room. He clasped the girl's hand and > said, "Talitha koum," which > means, "Little girl, get up." At that, she was up and walking around! This > girl was twelve years of > age. They, of course, were all beside themselves with joy. He gave them > strict orders that no one > was to know what had taken place in that room. Then he said, "Give her > something to eat." > > Mark 6 > Just a Carpenter > 1-2 He left there and returned to his hometown. His disciples came along. > On the Sabbath, he gave a > lecture in the meeting place. He made a real hit, impressing everyone. "We > had no idea he was this > good!" they said. "How did he get so wise all of a sudden, get such > ability?" > 3But in the next breath they were cutting him down: "He's just a > carpenter-Mary's boy. We've known > him since he was a kid. We know his brothers, James, Justus, Jude, and > Simon, and his sisters. Who > does he think he is?" They tripped over what little they knew about him > and fell, sprawling. And > they never got any further. > > 4-6Jesus told them, "A prophet has little honor in his hometown, among his > relatives, on the > streets he played in as a child." Jesus wasn't able to do much of anything > there-he laid hands on a > few sick people and healed them, that's all. He couldn't get over their > stubbornness. He left and > made a circuit of the other villages, teaching. > > The Twelve > 7-8Jesus called the Twelve to him, and sent them out in pairs. He gave > them authority and power to > deal with the evil opposition. He sent them off with these instructions: > 8-9"Don't think you need a lot of extra equipment for this. You are the > equipment. No special > appeals for funds. Keep it simple. > > 10"And no luxury inns. Get a modest place and be content there until you > leave. > > 11"If you're not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw. Don't make a > scene. Shrug your > shoulders and be on your way." > > 12-13Then they were on the road. They preached with joyful urgency that > life can be radically > different; right and left they sent the demons packing; they brought > wellness to the sick, anointing > their bodies, healing their spirits. > > The Death of John > 14King Herod heard of all this, for by this time the name of Jesus was on > everyone's lips. He said, > "This has to be John the Baptizer come back from the dead-that's why he's > able to work miracles!" > 15Others said, "No, it's Elijah." > > Others said, "He's a prophet, just like one of the old-time prophets." > > 16But Herod wouldn't budge: "It's John, sure enough. I cut off his head, > and now he's back, alive." > > 17-20Herod was the one who had ordered the arrest of John, put him in > chains, and sent him to > prison at the nagging of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. For John had > provoked Herod by naming > his relationship with Herodias "adultery." Herodias, smoldering with hate, > wanted to kill him, but > didn't dare because Herod was in awe of John. Convinced that he was a holy > man, he gave him special > treatment. Whenever he listened to him he was miserable with guilt-and yet > he couldn't stay away. > Something in John kept pulling him back. > > 21-22But a portentous day arrived when Herod threw a birthday party, > inviting all the brass and > bluebloods in Galilee. Herodias's daughter entered the banquet hall and > danced for the guests. She > dazzled Herod and the guests. > > 22-23The king said to the girl, "Ask me anything. I'll give you anything > you want." Carried away, > he kept on, "I swear, I'll split my kingdom with you if you say so!" > > 24She went back to her mother and said, "What should I ask for?" > > "Ask for the head of John the Baptizer." > > 25Excited, she ran back to the king and said, "I want the head of John the > Baptizer served up on a > platter. And I want it now!" > > 26-29That sobered the king up fast. But unwilling to lose face with his > guests, he caved in and let > her have her wish. The king sent the executioner off to the prison with > orders to bring back John's > head. He went, cut off John's head, brought it back on a platter, and > presented it to the girl, who > gave it to her mother. When John's disciples heard about this, they came > and got the body and gave > it a decent burial. > > Supper for Five Thousand > 30-31The apostles then rendezvoused with Jesus and reported on all that > they had done and taught. > Jesus said, "Come off by yourselves; let's take a break and get a little > rest." For there was > constant coming and going. They didn't even have time to eat. > 32-34So they got in the boat and went off to a remote place by themselves. > Someone saw them going > and the word got around. From the surrounding towns people went out on > foot, running, and got there > ahead of them. When Jesus arrived, he saw this huge crowd. At the sight of > them, his heart > broke-like sheep with no shepherd they were. He went right to work > teaching them. > > 35-36When his disciples thought this had gone on long enough-it was now > quite late in the day-they > interrupted: "We are a long way out in the country, and it's very late. > Pronounce a benediction and > send these folks off so they can get some supper." > > 37Jesus said, "You do it. Fix supper for them." > > They replied, "Are you serious? You want us to go spend a fortune on > food for their supper?" > > 38But he was quite serious. "How many loaves of bread do you have? Take an > inventory." > > That didn't take long. "Five," they said, "plus two fish." > > 39-44Jesus got them all to sit down in groups of fifty or a hundred-they > looked like a patchwork > quilt of wildflowers spread out on the green grass! He took the five > loaves and two fish, lifted his > face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread to the > disciples, and the disciples in > turn gave it to the people. He did the same with the fish. They all ate > their fill. The disciples > gathered twelve baskets of leftovers. More than five thousand were at the > supper. > > Walking on the Sea > 45-46As soon as the meal was finished, Jesus insisted that the disciples > get in the boat and go on > ahead across to Bethsaida while he dismissed the congregation. After > sending them off, he climbed a > mountain to pray. > 47-49Late at night, the boat was far out at sea; Jesus was still by > himself on land. He could see > his men struggling with the oars, the wind having come up against them. At > about four o'clock in the > morning, Jesus came toward them, walking on the sea. He intended to go > right by them. But when they > saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and screamed, > scared out of their wits. > > 50-52Jesus was quick to comfort them: "Courage! It's me. Don't be afraid." > As soon as he climbed > into the boat, the wind died down. They were stunned, shaking their heads, > wondering what was going > on. They didn't understand what he had done at the supper. None of this > had yet penetrated their > hearts. > > 53-56They beached the boat at Gennesaret and tied up at the landing. As > soon as they got out of the > boat, word got around fast. People ran this way and that, bringing their > sick on stretchers to where > they heard he was. Wherever he went, village or town or country > crossroads, they brought their sick > to the marketplace and begged him to let them touch the edge of his > coat-that's all. And whoever > touched him became well. > > > > > > > > ~~~~~ > 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 -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
