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, November 08, 2009 9:17 PM Subject: Daily Bible Reading For Monday November 9 > Day 313 > > Acts 4 > Nothing to Hide > 1-4While Peter and John were addressing the people, the priests, the chief > of the Temple police, > and some Sadducees came up, indignant that these upstart apostles were > instructing the people and > proclaiming that the resurrection from the dead had taken place in Jesus. > They arrested them and > threw them in jail until morning, for by now it was late in the evening. > But many of those who > listened had already believed the Message-in round numbers about five > thousand! > 5-7The next day a meeting was called in Jerusalem. The rulers, religious > leaders, religion > scholars, Annas the Chief Priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander-everybody who > was anybody was there. > They stood Peter and John in the middle of the room and grilled them: "Who > put you in charge here? > What business do you have doing this?" > > 8-12With that, Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, let loose: "Rulers and > leaders of the people, if we > have been brought to trial today for helping a sick man, put under > investigation regarding this > healing, I'll be completely frank with you-we have nothing to hide. By the > name of Jesus Christ of > Nazareth, the One you killed on a cross, the One God raised from the dead, > by means of his name this > man stands before you healthy and whole. Jesus is 'the stone you masons > threw out, which is now the > cornerstone.' Salvation comes no other way; no other name has been or will > be given to us by which > we can be saved, only this one." > > 13-14They couldn't take their eyes off them-Peter and John standing there > so confident, so sure of > themselves! Their fascination deepened when they realized these two were > laymen with no training in > Scripture or formal education. They recognized them as companions of > Jesus, but with the man right > before them, seeing him standing there so upright-so healed!-what could > they say against that? > > 15-17They sent them out of the room so they could work out a plan. They > talked it over: "What can > we do with these men? By now it's known all over town that a miracle has > occurred, and that they are > behind it. There is no way we can refute that. But so that it doesn't go > any further, let's silence > them with threats so they won't dare to use Jesus' name ever again with > anyone." > > 18-20They called them back and warned them that they were on no account > ever again to speak or > teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John spoke right back, "Whether > it's right in God's eyes > to listen to you rather than to God, you decide. As for us, there's no > question-we can't keep quiet > about what we've seen and heard." > > 21-22The religious leaders renewed their threats, but then released them. > They couldn't come up > with a charge that would stick, that would keep them in jail. The people > wouldn't have stood for > it-they were all praising God over what had happened. The man who had been > miraculously healed was > over forty years old. > > One Heart, One Mind > 23-26As soon as Peter and John were let go, they went to their friends and > told them what the high > priests and religious leaders had said. Hearing the report, they lifted > their voices in a wonderful > harmony in prayer: "Strong God, you made heaven and earth and sea and > everything in them. By the > Holy Spirit you spoke through the mouth of your servant and our father, > David: > > Why the big noise, nations? > Why the mean plots, peoples? > Earth's leaders push for position, > Potentates meet for summit talks, > The God-deniers, the Messiah-defiers! > 27-28"For in fact they did meet-Herod and Pontius Pilate with nations and > peoples, even Israel > itself!-met in this very city to plot against your holy Son Jesus, the One > you made Messiah, to > carry out the plans you long ago set in motion. > > 29-30"And now they're at it again! Take care of their threats and give > your servants fearless > confidence in preaching your Message, as you stretch out your hand to us > in healings and miracles > and wonders done in the name of your holy servant Jesus." > > 31While they were praying, the place where they were meeting trembled and > shook. They were all > filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak God's Word with > fearless confidence. > > 32-33The whole congregation of believers was united as one-one heart, one > mind! They didn't even > claim ownership of their own possessions. No one said, "That's mine; you > can't have it." They shared > everything. The apostles gave powerful witness to the resurrection of the > Master Jesus, and grace > was on all of them. > > 34-35And so it turned out that not a person among them was needy. Those > who owned fields or houses > sold them and brought the price of the sale to the apostles and made an > offering of it. The apostles > then distributed it according to each person's need. > > 36-37Joseph, called by the apostles "Barnabas" (which means "Son of > Comfort"), a Levite born in > Cyprus, sold a field that he owned, brought the money, and made an > offering of it to the apostles. > > Acts 5 > Ananias and Sapphira > 1-2 But a man named Ananias-his wife, Sapphira, conniving in this with > him-sold a piece of land, > secretly kept part of the price for himself, and then brought the rest to > the apostles and made an > offering of it. > 3-4Peter said, "Ananias, how did Satan get you to lie to the Holy Spirit > and secretly keep back > part of the price of the field? Before you sold it, it was all yours, and > after you sold it, the > money was yours to do with as you wished. So what got into you to pull a > trick like this? You didn't > lie to men but to God." > > 5-6Ananias, when he heard those words, fell down dead. That put the fear > of God into everyone who > heard of it. The younger men went right to work and wrapped him up, then > carried him out and buried > him. > > 7-8Not more than three hours later, his wife, knowing nothing of what had > happened, came in. Peter > said, "Tell me, were you given this price for your field?" > > "Yes," she said, "that price." > > 9-10Peter responded, "What's going on here that you connived to conspire > against the Spirit of the > Master? The men who buried your husband are at the door, and you're next." > No sooner were the words > out of his mouth than she also fell down, dead. When the young men > returned they found her body. > They carried her out and buried her beside her husband. > > 11By this time the whole church and, in fact, everyone who heard of these > things had a healthy > respect for God. They knew God was not to be trifled with. > > They All Met Regularly > 12-16Through the work of the apostles, many God-signs were set up among > the people, many wonderful > things done. They all met regularly and in remarkable harmony on the > Temple porch named after > Solomon. But even though people admired them a lot, outsiders were wary > about joining them. On the > other hand, those who put their trust in the Master were added right and > left, men and women both. > They even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on > stretchers and bedrolls, hoping > they would be touched by Peter's shadow when he walked by. They came from > the villages surrounding > Jerusalem, throngs of them, bringing the sick and bedeviled. And they all > were healed. > To Obey God Rather than Men > 17-20Provoked mightily by all this, the Chief Priest and those on his > side, mainly the sect of > Sadducees, went into action, arrested the apostles and put them in the > town jail. But during the > night an angel of God opened the jailhouse door and led them out. He said, > "Go to the Temple and > take your stand. Tell the people everything there is to say about this > Life." > Promptly obedient, they entered the Temple at daybreak and went on with > their teaching. > > 21-23Meanwhile, the Chief Priest and his cronies convened the High > Council, Israel's senate, and > sent to the jail to have the prisoners brought in. When the police got > there, they couldn't find > them anywhere in the jail. They went back and reported, "We found the jail > locked tight as a drum > and the guards posted at the doors, but when we went inside we didn't find > a soul." > > 24The chief of the Temple police and the high priests were puzzled. > "What's going on here anyway?" > > 25-26Just then someone showed up and said, "Did you know that the men you > put in jail are back in > the Temple teaching the people?" The chief and his police went and got > them, but they handled them > gently, fearful that the people would riot and turn on them. > > 27-28Bringing them back, they stood them before the High Council. The > Chief Priest said, "Didn't we > give you strict orders not to teach in Jesus' name? And here you have > filled Jerusalem with your > teaching and are trying your best to blame us for the death of this man." > > 29-32Peter and the apostles answered, "It's necessary to obey God rather > than men. The God of our > ancestors raised up Jesus, the One you killed by hanging him on a cross. > God set him on high at his > side, Prince and Savior, to give Israel the gift of a changed life and > sins forgiven. And we are > witnesses to these things. The Holy Spirit, whom God gives to those who > obey him, corroborates every > detail." > > 33-37When they heard that, they were furious and wanted to kill them on > the spot. But one of the > council members stood up, a Pharisee by the name of Gamaliel, a teacher of > God's Law who was honored > by everyone. He ordered the men taken out of the room for a short time, > then said, "Fellow > Israelites, be careful what you do to these men. Not long ago Theudas made > something of a splash, > claiming to be somebody, and got about four hundred men to join him. He > was killed, his followers > dispersed, and nothing came of it. A little later, at the time of the > census, Judas the Galilean > appeared and acquired a following. He also fizzled out and the people > following him were scattered > to the four winds. > > 38-39"So I am telling you: Hands off these men! Let them alone. If this > program or this work is > merely human, it will fall apart, but if it is of God, there is nothing > you can do about it-and you > better not be found fighting against God!" > > 40-42That convinced them. They called the apostles back in. After giving > them a thorough whipping, > they warned them not to speak in Jesus' name and sent them off. The > apostles went out of the High > Council overjoyed because they had been given the honor of being > dishonored on account of the Name. > Every day they were in the Temple and homes, teaching and preaching Christ > Jesus, not letting up for > a minute. > > Acts 6 > The Word of God Prospered > 1-4 During this time, as the disciples were increasing in numbers by leaps > and bounds, hard > feelings developed among the Greek-speaking believers-"Hellenists"-toward > the Hebrew-speaking > believers because their widows were being discriminated against in the > daily food lines. So the > Twelve called a meeting of the disciples. They said, "It wouldn't be right > for us to abandon our > responsibilities for preaching and teaching the Word of God to help with > the care of the poor. So, > friends, choose seven men from among you whom everyone trusts, men full of > the Holy Spirit and good > sense, and we'll assign them this task. Meanwhile, we'll stick to our > assigned tasks of prayer and > speaking God's Word." > 5-6The congregation thought this was a great idea. They went ahead and > chose- > > Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, > Philip, > Procorus, > Nicanor, > Timon, > Parmenas, > Nicolas, a convert from Antioch. > Then they presented them to the apostles. Praying, the apostles laid on > hands and commissioned them > for their task. > > 7The Word of God prospered. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased > dramatically. Not least, > a great many priests submitted themselves to the faith. > > 8-10Stephen, brimming with God's grace and energy, was doing wonderful > things among the people, > unmistakable signs that God was among them. But then some men from the > meeting place whose > membership was made up of freed slaves, Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and some > others from Cilicia and > Asia, went up against him trying to argue him down. But they were no match > for his wisdom and spirit > when he spoke. > > 11So in secret they bribed men to lie: "We heard him cursing Moses and > God." > > 12-14That stirred up the people, the religious leaders, and religion > scholars. They grabbed Stephen > and took him before the High Council. They put forward their bribed > witnesses to testify: "This man > talks nonstop against this Holy Place and God's Law. We even heard him say > that Jesus of Nazareth > would tear this place down and throw out all the customs Moses gave us." > > 15As all those who sat on the High Council looked at Stephen, they found > they couldn't take their > eyes off him-his face was like the face of an angel! > > > > > > > > ~~~~~ > 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. 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