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, November 03, 2009 10:12 PM Subject: Daily Bible Reading For Wednesday November 4 > Day 308 > > John 10-12 (The Message) > > John 10 > He Calls His Sheep by Name > 1-5 "Let me set this before you as plainly as I can. If a person climbs > over or through the fence > of a sheep pen instead of going through the gate, you know he's up to no > good-a sheep rustler! The > shepherd walks right up to the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate to him > and the sheep recognize > his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he gets > them all out, he leads > them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice. They won't > follow a stranger's voice > but will scatter because they aren't used to the sound of it." > 6-10Jesus told this simple story, but they had no idea what he was talking > about. So he tried > again. "I'll be explicit, then. I am the Gate for the sheep. All those > others are up to no > good-sheep stealers, every one of them. But the sheep didn't listen to > them. I am the Gate. Anyone > who goes through me will be cared for-will freely go in and out, and find > pasture. A thief is only > there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and > eternal life, more and better > life than they ever dreamed of. > > 11-13"I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd puts the sheep before > himself, sacrifices himself > if necessary. A hired man is not a real shepherd. The sheep mean nothing > to him. He sees a wolf come > and runs for it, leaving the sheep to be ravaged and scattered by the > wolf. He's only in it for the > money. The sheep don't matter to him. > > 14-18"I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own sheep and my own sheep know > me. In the same way, the > Father knows me and I know the Father. I put the sheep before myself, > sacrificing myself if > necessary. You need to know that I have other sheep in addition to those > in this pen. I need to > gather and bring them, too. They'll also recognize my voice. Then it will > be one flock, one > Shepherd. This is why the Father loves me: because I freely lay down my > life. And so I am free to > take it up again. No one takes it from me. I lay it down of my own free > will. I have the right to > lay it down; I also have the right to take it up again. I received this > authority personally from my > Father." > > 19-21This kind of talk caused another split in the Jewish ranks. A lot of > them were saying, "He's > crazy, a maniac-out of his head completely. Why bother listening to him?" > But others weren't so > sure: "These aren't the words of a crazy man. Can a 'maniac' open blind > eyes?" > > 22-24They were celebrating Hanukkah just then in Jerusalem. It was winter. > Jesus was strolling in > the Temple across Solomon's Porch. The Jews, circling him, said, "How long > are you going to keep us > guessing? If you're the Messiah, tell us straight out." > > 25-30Jesus answered, "I told you, but you don't believe. Everything I have > done has been authorized > by my Father, actions that speak louder than words. You don't believe > because you're not my sheep. > My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them > real and eternal life. > They are protected from the Destroyer for good. No one can steal them from > out of my hand. The > Father who put them under my care is so much greater than the Destroyer > and Thief. No one could ever > get them away from him. I and the Father are one heart and mind." > > 31-32Again the Jews picked up rocks to throw at him. Jesus said, "I have > made a present to you from > the Father of a great many good actions. For which of these acts do you > stone me?" > > 33The Jews said, "We're not stoning you for anything good you did, but for > what you said-this > blasphemy of calling yourself God." > > 34-38Jesus said, "I'm only quoting your inspired Scriptures, where God > said, 'I tell you-you are > gods.' If God called your ancestors 'gods'-and Scripture doesn't lie-why > do you yell, 'Blasphemer! > Blasphemer!' at the unique One the Father consecrated and sent into the > world, just because I said, > 'I am the Son of God'? If I don't do the things my Father does, well and > good; don't believe me. But > if I am doing them, put aside for a moment what you hear me say about > myself and just take the > evidence of the actions that are right before your eyes. Then perhaps > things will come together for > you, and you'll see that not only are we doing the same thing, we are the > same-Father and Son. He is > in me; I am in him." > > 39-42They tried yet again to arrest him, but he slipped through their > fingers. He went back across > the Jordan to the place where John first baptized, and stayed there. A lot > of people followed him > over. They were saying, "John did no miracles, but everything he said > about this man has come true." > Many believed in him then and there. > > John 11 > The Death of Lazarus > 1-3Aman was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister > Martha. This was the same > Mary who massaged the Lord's feet with aromatic oils and then wiped them > with her hair. It was her > brother Lazarus who was sick. So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Master, > the one you love so very > much is sick." > 4When Jesus got the message, he said, "This sickness is not fatal. It will > become an occasion to > show God's glory by glorifying God's Son." > > 5-7Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, but oddly, when he heard > that Lazarus was sick, > he stayed on where he was for two more days. After the two days, he said > to his disciples, "Let's go > back to Judea." > > 8They said, "Rabbi, you can't do that. The Jews are out to kill you, and > you're going back?" > > 9-10Jesus replied, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who > walks in daylight doesn't > stumble because there's plenty of light from the sun. Walking at night, he > might very well stumble > because he can't see where he's going." > > 11He said these things, and then announced, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen > asleep. I'm going to > wake him up." > > 12-13The disciples said, "Master, if he's gone to sleep, he'll get a good > rest and wake up feeling > fine." Jesus was talking about death, while his disciples thought he was > talking about taking a nap. > > 14-15Then Jesus became explicit: "Lazarus died. And I am glad for your > sakes that I wasn't there. > You're about to be given new grounds for believing. Now let's go to him." > > 16That's when Thomas, the one called the Twin, said to his companions, > "Come along. We might as > well die with him." > > 17-20When Jesus finally got there, he found Lazarus already four days > dead. Bethany was near > Jerusalem, only a couple of miles away, and many of the Jews were visiting > Martha and Mary, > sympathizing with them over their brother. Martha heard Jesus was coming > and went out to meet him. > Mary remained in the house. > > 21-22Martha said, "Master, if you'd been here, my brother wouldn't have > died. Even now, I know that > whatever you ask God he will give you." > > 23Jesus said, "Your brother will be raised up." > > 24Martha replied, "I know that he will be raised up in the resurrection at > the end of time." > > 25-26"You don't have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection > and Life. The one who > believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live. And everyone who > lives believing in me does > not ultimately die at all. Do you believe this?" > > 27"Yes, Master. All along I have believed that you are the Messiah, the > Son of God who comes into > the world." > > 28After saying this, she went to her sister Mary and whispered in her ear, > "The Teacher is here and > is asking for you." > > 29-32The moment she heard that, she jumped up and ran out to him. Jesus > had not yet entered the > town but was still at the place where Martha had met him. When her > sympathizing Jewish friends saw > Mary run off, they followed her, thinking she was on her way to the tomb > to weep there. Mary came to > where Jesus was waiting and fell at his feet, saying, "Master, if only you > had been here, my brother > would not have died." > > 33-34When Jesus saw her sobbing and the Jews with her sobbing, a deep > anger welled up within him. > He said, "Where did you put him?" > > 34-35"Master, come and see," they said. Now Jesus wept. > > 36The Jews said, "Look how deeply he loved him." > > 37Others among them said, "Well, if he loved him so much, why didn't he do > something to keep him > from dying? After all, he opened the eyes of a blind man." > > 38-39Then Jesus, the anger again welling up within him, arrived at the > tomb. It was a simple cave > in the hillside with a slab of stone laid against it. Jesus said, "Remove > the stone." > > The sister of the dead man, Martha, said, "Master, by this time there's > a stench. He's been dead > four days!" > > 40Jesus looked her in the eye. "Didn't I tell you that if you believed, > you would see the glory of > God?" > > 41-42Then, to the others, "Go ahead, take away the stone." > > They removed the stone. Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and prayed, > "Father, I'm grateful that > you have listened to me. I know you always do listen, but on account of > this crowd standing here > I've spoken so that they might believe that you sent me." > > 43-44Then he shouted, "Lazarus, come out!" And he came out, a cadaver, > wrapped from head to toe, > and with a kerchief over his face. > > Jesus told them, "Unwrap him and let him loose." > > The Man Who Creates God-Signs > 45-48That was a turnaround for many of the Jews who were with Mary. They > saw what Jesus did, and > believed in him. But some went back to the Pharisees and told on Jesus. > The high priests and > Pharisees called a meeting of the Jewish ruling body. "What do we do now?" > they asked. "This man > keeps on doing things, creating God-signs. If we let him go on, pretty > soon everyone will be > believing in him and the Romans will come and remove what little power and > privilege we still have." > 49-52Then one of them-it was Caiaphas, the designated Chief Priest that > year-spoke up, "Don't you > know anything? Can't you see that it's to our advantage that one man dies > for the people rather than > the whole nation be destroyed?" He didn't say this of his own accord, but > as Chief Priest that year > he unwittingly prophesied that Jesus was about to die sacrificially for > the nation, and not only for > the nation but so that all God's exile-scattered children might be > gathered together into one > people. > > 53-54From that day on, they plotted to kill him. So Jesus no longer went > out in public among the > Jews. He withdrew into the country bordering the desert to a town called > Ephraim and secluded > himself there with his disciples. > > 55-56The Jewish Passover was coming up. Crowds of people were making their > way from the country up > to Jerusalem to get themselves ready for the Feast. They were curious > about Jesus. There was a lot > of talk of him among those standing around in the Temple: "What do you > think? Do you think he'll > show up at the Feast or not?" > > 57Meanwhile, the high priests and Pharisees gave out the word that anyone > getting wind of him > should inform them. They were all set to arrest him. > > John 12 > Anointing His Feet > 1-3Six days before Passover, Jesus entered Bethany where Lazarus, so > recently raised from the dead, > was living. Lazarus and his sisters invited Jesus to dinner at their home. > Martha served. Lazarus > was one of those sitting at the table with them. Mary came in with a jar > of very expensive aromatic > oils, anointed and massaged Jesus' feet, and then wiped them with her > hair. The fragrance of the > oils filled the house. > 4-6Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, even then getting ready to betray > him, said, "Why wasn't > this oil sold and the money given to the poor? It would have easily > brought three hundred silver > pieces." He said this not because he cared two cents about the poor but > because he was a thief. He > was in charge of their common funds, but also embezzled them. > > 7-8Jesus said, "Let her alone. She's anticipating and honoring the day of > my burial. You always > have the poor with you. You don't always have me." > > 9-11Word got out among the Jews that he was back in town. The people came > to take a look, not only > at Jesus but also at Lazarus, who had been raised from the dead. So the > high priests plotted to kill > Lazarus because so many of the Jews were going over and believing in Jesus > on account of him. > > See How Your King Comes > 12-15The next day the huge crowd that had arrived for the Feast heard that > Jesus was entering > Jerusalem. They broke off palm branches and went out to meet him. And they > cheered: > Hosanna! > > Blessed is he who comes in God's name! > > Yes! The King of Israel! > Jesus got a young donkey and rode it, just as the Scripture has it: > > No fear, Daughter Zion: > See how your king comes, > riding a donkey's colt. > > 16The disciples didn't notice the fulfillment of many Scriptures at the > time, but after Jesus was > glorified, they remembered that what was written about him matched what > was done to him. > > 17-19The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus from the > tomb, raising him from the > dead, was there giving eyewitness accounts. It was because they had spread > the word of this latest > God-sign that the crowd swelled to a welcoming parade. The Pharisees took > one look and threw up > their hands: "It's out of control. The world's in a stampede after him." > > A Grain of Wheat Must Die > 20-21There were some Greeks in town who had come up to worship at the > Feast. They approached > Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee: "Sir, we want to see Jesus. Can > you help us?" > 22-23Philip went and told Andrew. Andrew and Philip together told Jesus. > Jesus answered, "Time's > up. The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. > > 24-25"Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, > dead to the world, it is > never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and > reproduces itself many > times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is > destroys that life. But if > you let it go, reckless in your love, you'll have it forever, real and > eternal. > > 26"If any of you wants to serve me, then follow me. Then you'll be where I > am, ready to serve at a > moment's notice. The Father will honor and reward anyone who serves me. > > 27-28"Right now I am storm-tossed. And what am I going to say? 'Father, > get me out of this'? No, > this is why I came in the first place. I'll say, 'Father, put your glory > on display.'" > > A voice came out of the sky: "I have glorified it, and I'll glorify it > again." > > 29The listening crowd said, "Thunder!" > > Others said, "An angel spoke to him!" > > 30-33Jesus said, "The voice didn't come for me but for you. At this moment > the world is in crisis. > Now Satan, the ruler of this world, will be thrown out. And I, as I am > lifted up from the earth, > will attract everyone to me and gather them around me." He put it this way > to show how he was going > to be put to death. > > 34Voices from the crowd answered, "We heard from God's Law that the > Messiah lasts forever. How can > it be necessary, as you put it, that the Son of Man 'be lifted up'? Who is > this 'Son of Man'?" > > 35-36Jesus said, "For a brief time still, the light is among you. Walk by > the light you have so > darkness doesn't destroy you. If you walk in darkness, you don't know > where you're going. As you > have the light, believe in the light. Then the light will be within you, > and shining through your > lives. You'll be children of light." > > Their Eyes Are Blinded > 36-40Jesus said all this, and then went into hiding. All these God-signs > he had given them and they > still didn't get it, still wouldn't trust him. This proved that the > prophet Isaiah was right: > God, who believed what we preached? > > Who recognized God's arm, outstretched and ready to act? > First they wouldn't believe, then they couldn't-again, just as Isaiah > said: > > Their eyes are blinded, > their hearts are hardened, > So that they wouldn't see with their eyes > and perceive with their hearts, > And turn to me, God, > so I could heal them. > 41Isaiah said these things after he got a glimpse of God's cascading > brightness that would pour > through the Messiah. > > 42-43On the other hand, a considerable number from the ranks of the > leaders did believe. But > because of the Pharisees, they didn't come out in the open with it. They > were afraid of getting > kicked out of the meeting place. When push came to shove they cared more > for human approval than for > God's glory. > > 44-46Jesus summed it all up when he cried out, "Whoever believes in me, > believes not just in me but > in the One who sent me. Whoever looks at me is looking, in fact, at the > One who sent me. I am Light > that has come into the world so that all who believe in me won't have to > stay any longer in the > dark. > > 47-50"If anyone hears what I am saying and doesn't take it seriously, I > don't reject him. I didn't > come to reject the world; I came to save the world. But you need to know > that whoever puts me off, > refusing to take in what I'm saying, is willfully choosing rejection. The > Word, the Word-made-flesh > that I have spoken and that I am, that Word and no other is the last word. > I'm not making any of > this up on my own. The Father who sent me gave me orders, told me what to > say and how to say it. And > I know exactly what his command produces: real and eternal life. That's > all I have to say. What the > Father told me, I tell you." > > > > > > > > ~~~~~ > 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 -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
