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: Saturday, October 24, 2009 9:13 PM Subject: Daily Bible Reading For Sunday October 25 > Day 298 > > Luke 4-6 (The Message) > > Luke 4 > Tested by the Devil > 1-2Now Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the > Spirit into the wild. For > forty wilderness days and nights he was tested by the Devil. He ate > nothing during those days, and > when the time was up he was hungry. > 3The Devil, playing on his hunger, gave the first test: "Since you're > God's Son, command this stone > to turn into a loaf of bread." > > 4Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: "It takes more than bread to > really live." > > 5-7For the second test he led him up and spread out all the kingdoms of > the earth on display at > once. Then the Devil said, "They're yours in all their splendor to serve > your pleasure. I'm in > charge of them all and can turn them over to whomever I wish. Worship me > and they're yours, the > whole works." > > 8Jesus refused, again backing his refusal with Deuteronomy: "Worship the > Lord your God and only the > Lord your God. Serve him with absolute single-heartedness." > > 9-11For the third test the Devil took him to Jerusalem and put him on top > of the Temple. He said, > "If you are God's Son, jump. It's written, isn't it, that 'he has placed > you in the care of angels > to protect you; they will catch you; you won't so much as stub your toe on > a stone'?" > > 12"Yes," said Jesus, "and it's also written, 'Don't you dare tempt the > Lord your God.'" > > 13That completed the testing. The Devil retreated temporarily, lying in > wait for another > opportunity. > > To Set the Burdened Free > 14-15Jesus returned to Galilee powerful in the Spirit. News that he was > back spread through the > countryside. He taught in their meeting places to everyone's acclaim and > pleasure. > 16-21He came to Nazareth where he had been reared. As he always did on the > Sabbath, he went to the > meeting place. When he stood up to read, he was handed the scroll of the > prophet Isaiah. Unrolling > the scroll, he found the place where it was written, > > God's Spirit is on me; > he's chosen me to preach the Message of good news to > the poor, > Sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and > recovery of sight to the blind, > To set the burdened and battered free, > to announce, "This is God's year to act!" > He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the assistant, and sat down. > Every eye in the place was > on him, intent. Then he started in, "You've just heard Scripture make > history. It came true just now > in this place." > > 22All who were there, watching and listening, were surprised at how well > he spoke. But they also > said, "Isn't this Joseph's son, the one we've known since he was a > youngster?" > > 23-27He answered, "I suppose you're going to quote the proverb, 'Doctor, > go heal yourself. Do here > in your hometown what we heard you did in Capernaum.' Well, let me tell > you something: No prophet is > ever welcomed in his hometown. Isn't it a fact that there were many widows > in Israel at the time of > Elijah during that three and a half years of drought when famine > devastated the land, but the only > widow to whom Elijah was sent was in Sarepta in Sidon? And there were many > lepers in Israel at the > time of the prophet Elisha but the only one cleansed was Naaman the > Syrian." > > 28-30That set everyone in the meeting place seething with anger. They > threw him out, banishing him > from the village, then took him to a mountain cliff at the edge of the > village to throw him to his > doom, but he gave them the slip and was on his way. > > 31-32He went down to Capernaum, a village in Galilee. He was teaching the > people on the Sabbath. > They were surprised and impressed-his teaching was so forthright, so > confident, so authoritative, > not the quibbling and quoting they were used to. > > 33-34In the meeting place that day there was a man demonically disturbed. > He screamed, "Ho! What > business do you have here with us, Jesus? Nazarene! I know what you're up > to. You're the Holy One of > God and you've come to destroy us!" > > 35Jesus shut him up: "Quiet! Get out of him!" The demonic spirit threw the > man down in front of > them all and left. The demon didn't hurt him. > > 36-37That set everyone back on their heels, whispering and wondering, > "What's going on here? > Someone whose words make things happen? Someone who orders demonic spirits > to get out and they go?" > Jesus was the talk of the town. > > He Healed Them All > 38-39He left the meeting place and went to Simon's house. Simon's > mother-in-law was running a high > fever and they asked him to do something for her. He stood over her, told > the fever to leave-and it > left. Before they knew it, she was up getting dinner for them. > 40-41When the sun went down, everyone who had anyone sick with some > ailment or other brought them > to him. One by one he placed his hands on them and healed them. Demons > left in droves, screaming, > "Son of God! You're the Son of God!" But he shut them up, refusing to let > them speak because they > knew too much, knew him to be the Messiah. > > 42-44He left the next day for open country. But the crowds went looking > and, when they found him, > clung to him so he couldn't go on. He told them, "Don't you realize that > there are yet other > villages where I have to tell the Message of God's kingdom, that this is > the work God sent me to > do?" Meanwhile he continued preaching in the meeting places of Galilee. > > Luke 5 > Push Out into Deep Water > 1-3Once when he was standing on the shore of Lake Gennesaret, the crowd > was pushing in on him to > better hear the Word of God. He noticed two boats tied up. The fishermen > had just left them and were > out scrubbing their nets. He climbed into the boat that was Simon's and > asked him to put out a > little from the shore. Sitting there, using the boat for a pulpit, he > taught the crowd. > 4When he finished teaching, he said to Simon, "Push out into deep water > and let your nets out for a > catch." > > 5-7Simon said, "Master, we've been fishing hard all night and haven't > caught even a minnow. But if > you say so, I'll let out the nets." It was no sooner said than done-a huge > haul of fish, straining > the nets past capacity. They waved to their partners in the other boat to > come help them. They > filled both boats, nearly swamping them with the catch. > > 8-10Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell to his knees before Jesus. "Master, > leave. I'm a sinner and > can't handle this holiness. Leave me to myself." When they pulled in that > catch of fish, awe > overwhelmed Simon and everyone with him. It was the same with James and > John, Zebedee's sons, > coworkers with Simon. > > 10-11Jesus said to Simon, "There is nothing to fear. From now on you'll be > fishing for men and > women." They pulled their boats up on the beach, left them, nets and all, > and followed him. > > Invitation to a Changed Life > 12One day in one of the villages there was a man covered with leprosy. > When he saw Jesus he fell > down before him in prayer and said, "If you want to, you can cleanse me." > 13Jesus put out his hand, touched him, and said, "I want to. Be clean." > Then and there his skin was > smooth, the leprosy gone. > > 14-16Jesus instructed him, "Don't talk about this all over town. Just > quietly present your healed > self to the priest, along with the offering ordered by Moses. Your > cleansed and obedient life, not > your words, will bear witness to what I have done." But the man couldn't > keep it to himself, and the > word got out. Soon a large crowd of people had gathered to listen and be > healed of their ailments. > As often as possible Jesus withdrew to out-of-the-way places for prayer. > > 17One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and religion teachers were sitting > around. They had come > from nearly every village in Galilee and Judea, even as far away as > Jerusalem, to be there. The > healing power of God was on him. > > 18-20Some men arrived carrying a paraplegic on a stretcher. They were > looking for a way to get into > the house and set him before Jesus. When they couldn't find a way in > because of the crowd, they went > up on the roof, removed some tiles, and let him down in the middle of > everyone, right in front of > Jesus. Impressed by their bold belief, he said, "Friend, I forgive your > sins." > > 21That set the religion scholars and Pharisees buzzing. "Who does he think > he is? That's > blasphemous talk! God and only God can forgive sins." > > 22-26Jesus knew exactly what they were thinking and said, "Why all this > gossipy whispering? Which > is simpler: to say 'I forgive your sins,' or to say 'Get up and start > walking'? Well, just so it's > clear that I'm the Son of Man and authorized to do either, or both. . . ." > He now spoke directly to > the paraplegic: "Get up. Take your bedroll and go home." Without a > moment's hesitation, he did > it-got up, took his blanket, and left for home, giving glory to God all > the way. The people rubbed > their eyes, incredulous-and then also gave glory to God. Awestruck, they > said, "We've never seen > anything like that!" > > 27-28After this he went out and saw a man named Levi at his work > collecting taxes. Jesus said, > "Come along with me." And he did-walked away from everything and went with > him. > > 29-30Levi gave a large dinner at his home for Jesus. Everybody was there, > tax men and other > disreputable characters as guests at the dinner. The Pharisees and their > religion scholars came to > his disciples greatly offended. "What is he doing eating and drinking with > crooks and 'sinners'?" > > 31-32Jesus heard about it and spoke up, "Who needs a doctor: the healthy > or the sick? I'm here > inviting outsiders, not insiders-an invitation to a changed life, changed > inside and out." > > 33They asked him, "John's disciples are well-known for keeping fasts and > saying prayers. Also the > Pharisees. But you seem to spend most of your time at parties. Why?" > > 34-35Jesus said, "When you're celebrating a wedding, you don't skimp on > the cake and wine. You > feast. Later you may need to pull in your belt, but this isn't the time. > As long as the bride and > groom are with you, you have a good time. When the groom is gone, the > fasting can begin. No one > throws cold water on a friendly bonfire. This is Kingdom Come! > > 36-39"No one cuts up a fine silk scarf to patch old work clothes; you want > fabrics that match. And > you don't put wine in old, cracked bottles; you get strong, clean bottles > for your fresh vintage > wine. And no one who has ever tasted fine aged wine prefers unaged wine." > > Luke 6 > In Charge of the Sabbath > 1-2 On a certain Sabbath Jesus was walking through a field of ripe grain. > His disciples were > pulling off heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands to get rid of the > chaff, and eating them. > Some Pharisees said, "Why are you doing that, breaking a Sabbath rule?" > 3-4But Jesus stood up for them. "Have you never read what David and those > with him did when they > were hungry? How he entered the sanctuary and ate fresh bread off the > altar, bread that no one but > priests were allowed to eat? He also handed it out to his companions." > > 5Then he said, "The Son of Man is no slave to the Sabbath; he's in > charge." > > 6-8On another Sabbath he went to the meeting place and taught. There was a > man there with a > crippled right hand. The religion scholars and Pharisees had their eye on > Jesus to see if he would > heal the man, hoping to catch him in a Sabbath infraction. He knew what > they were up to and spoke to > the man with the crippled hand: "Get up and stand here before us." He did. > > 9Then Jesus addressed them, "Let me ask you something: What kind of action > suits the Sabbath best? > Doing good or doing evil? Helping people or leaving them helpless?" > > 10-11He looked around, looked each one in the eye. He said to the man, > "Hold out your hand." He > held it out-it was as good as new! They were beside themselves with anger, > and started plotting how > they might get even with him. > > The Twelve Apostles > 12-16At about that same time he climbed a mountain to pray. He was there > all night in prayer before > God. The next day he summoned his disciples; from them he selected twelve > he designated as apostles: > > Simon, whom he named Peter, > Andrew, his brother, > James, > John, > Philip, > Bartholomew, > Matthew, > Thomas, > James, son of Alphaeus, > Simon, called the Zealot, > Judas, son of James, > Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. > You're Blessed > 17-21Coming down off the mountain with them, he stood on a plain > surrounded by disciples, and was > soon joined by a huge congregation from all over Judea and Jerusalem, even > from the seaside towns of > Tyre and Sidon. They had come both to hear him and to be cured of their > ailments. Those disturbed by > evil spirits were healed. Everyone was trying to touch him-so much energy > surging from him, so many > people healed! Then he spoke: > > You're blessed when you've lost it all. > God's kingdom is there for the finding. > You're blessed when you're ravenously hungry. > Then you're ready for the Messianic meal. > > You're blessed when the tears flow freely. > Joy comes with the morning. > 22-23"Count yourself blessed every time someone cuts you down or throws > you out, every time someone > smears or blackens your name to discredit me. What it means is that the > truth is too close for > comfort and that that person is uncomfortable. You can be glad when that > happens-skip like a lamb, > if you like!-for even though they don't like it, I do . . . and all heaven > applauds. And know that > you are in good company; my preachers and witnesses have always been > treated like this. > > Give Away Your Life > 24But it's trouble ahead if you think you have it made. > What you have is all you'll ever get. > 25And it's trouble ahead if you're satisfied with yourself. > Your self will not satisfy you for long. > > And it's trouble ahead if you think life's all fun and games. > There's suffering to be met, and you're going to meet it. > > 26"There's trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others, > saying what flatters them, > doing what indulges them. Popularity contests are not truth contests-look > how many scoundrel > preachers were approved by your ancestors! Your task is to be true, not > popular. > > 27-30"To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: 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 that person. If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take > it. If someone grabs your > shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. If someone takes > unfair advantage of you, > use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. > Live generously. > > 31-34"Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you > want people to do for you; > then grab the initiative and do it for them! If you only love the lovable, > do you expect a pat on > the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that. If you only help those who help > you, do you expect a > medal? Garden-variety sinners do that. If you only give for what you hope > to get out of it, do you > think that's charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that. > > 35-36"I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a > return. You'll never-I > promise-regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father > lives toward us, generously > and graciously, even when we're at our worst. Our Father is kind; you be > kind. > > 37-38"Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their > faults- unless, of course, you > want the same treatment. Don't condemn those who are down; that hardness > can boomerang. Be easy on > people; you'll find life a lot easier. Give away your life; you'll find > life given back, but not > merely given back-given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, > is the way. Generosity > begets generosity." > > 39-40He quoted a proverb: "'Can a blind man guide a blind man?' Wouldn't > they both end up in the > ditch? An apprentice doesn't lecture the master. The point is to be > careful who you follow as your > teacher. > > 41-42"It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious > to the ugly sneer on your > own. Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when > your own face is distorted > by contempt? It's this I-know-better-than-you mentality again, playing a > holier-than-thou part > instead of just living your own part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own > face and you might be fit to > offer a washcloth to your neighbor. > > Work the Words into Your Life > 43-45"You don't get wormy apples off a healthy tree, nor good apples off a > diseased tree. The > health of the apple tells the health of the tree. You must begin with your > own life-giving lives. > It's who you are, not what you say and do, that counts. Your true being > brims over into true words > and deeds. > 46-47"Why are you so polite with me, always saying 'Yes, sir,' and 'That's > right, sir,' but never > doing a thing I tell you? These words I speak to you are not mere > additions to your life, homeowner > improvements to your standard of living. They are foundation words, words > to build a life on. > > 48-49"If you work the words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter > who dug deep and laid > the foundation of his house on bedrock. When the river burst its banks and > crashed against the > house, nothing could shake it; it was built to last. But if you just use > my words in Bible studies > and don't work them into your life, you are like a dumb carpenter who > built a house but skipped the > foundation. When the swollen river came crashing in, it collapsed like a > house of cards. It was a > total loss." > > > > > > > > ~~~~~ > 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 -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
