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, November 12, 2009 11:04 PM Subject: Daily Bible Reading For Friday November 13 > Day 317 > > Acts 16 > A Dream Gave Paul His Map > 1-3Paul came first to Derbe, then Lystra. He found a disciple there by the > name of Timothy, son of > a devout Jewish mother and Greek father. Friends in Lystra and Iconium all > said what a fine young > man he was. Paul wanted to recruit him for their mission, but first took > him aside and circumcised > him so he wouldn't offend the Jews who lived in those parts. They all knew > that his father was > Greek. > 4-5As they traveled from town to town, they presented the simple > guidelines the Jerusalem apostles > and leaders had come up with. That turned out to be most helpful. Day > after day the congregations > became stronger in faith and larger in size. > > 6-8They went to Phrygia, and then on through the region of Galatia. Their > plan was to turn west > into Asia province, but the Holy Spirit blocked that route. So they went > to Mysia and tried to go > north to Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus wouldn't let them go there > either. Proceeding on through > Mysia, they went down to the seaport Troas. > > 9-10That night Paul had a dream: A Macedonian stood on the far shore and > called across the sea, > "Come over to Macedonia and help us!" The dream gave Paul his map. We went > to work at once getting > things ready to cross over to Macedonia. All the pieces had come together. > We knew now for sure that > God had called us to preach the good news to the Europeans. > > 11-12Putting out from the harbor at Troas, we made a straight run for > Samothrace. The next day we > tied up at New City and walked from there to Philippi, the main city in > that part of Macedonia and, > even more importantly, a Roman colony. We lingered there several days. > > 13-14On the Sabbath, we left the city and went down along the river where > we had heard there was to > be a prayer meeting. We took our place with the women who had gathered > there and talked with them. > One woman, Lydia, was from Thyatira and a dealer in expensive textiles, > known to be a God-fearing > woman. As she listened with intensity to what was being said, the Master > gave her a trusting > heart-and she believed! > > 15After she was baptized, along with everyone in her household, she said > in a surge of hospitality, > "If you're confident that I'm in this with you and believe in the Master > truly, come home with me > and be my guests." We hesitated, but she wouldn't take no for an answer. > > Beat Up and Thrown in Jail > 16-18One day, on our way to the place of prayer, a slave girl ran into us. > She was a psychic and, > with her fortunetelling, made a lot of money for the people who owned her. > She started following > Paul around, calling everyone's attention to us by yelling out, "These men > are working for the Most > High God. They're laying out the road of salvation for you!" She did this > for a number of days until > Paul, finally fed up with her, turned and commanded the spirit that > possessed her, "Out! In the name > of Jesus Christ, get out of her!" And it was gone, just like that. > 19-22When her owners saw that their lucrative little business was suddenly > bankrupt, they went > after Paul and Silas, roughed them up and dragged them into the market > square. Then the police > arrested them and pulled them into a court with the accusation, "These men > are disturbing the > peace-dangerous Jewish agitators subverting our Roman law and order." By > this time the crowd had > turned into a restless mob out for blood. > > 22-24The judges went along with the mob, had Paul and Silas's clothes > ripped off and ordered a > public beating. After beating them black-and-blue, they threw them into > jail, telling the jailkeeper > to put them under heavy guard so there would be no chance of escape. He > did just that-threw them > into the maximum security cell in the jail and clamped leg irons on them. > > 25-26Along about midnight, Paul and Silas were at prayer and singing a > robust hymn to God. The > other prisoners couldn't believe their ears. Then, without warning, a huge > earthquake! The jailhouse > tottered, every door flew open, all the prisoners were loose. > > 27-28Startled from sleep, the jailer saw all the doors swinging loose on > their hinges. Assuming > that all the prisoners had escaped, he pulled out his sword and was about > to do himself in, figuring > he was as good as dead anyway, when Paul stopped him: "Don't do that! > We're all still here! Nobody's > run away!" > > 29-31The jailer got a torch and ran inside. Badly shaken, he collapsed in > front of Paul and Silas. > He led them out of the jail and asked, "Sirs, what do I have to do to be > saved, to really live?" > They said, "Put your entire trust in the Master Jesus. Then you'll live as > you were meant to > live-and everyone in your house included!" > > 32-34They went on to spell out in detail the story of the Master-the > entire family got in on this > part. They never did get to bed that night. The jailer made them feel at > home, dressed their wounds, > and then-he couldn't wait till morning!-was baptized, he and everyone in > his family. There in his > home, he had food set out for a festive meal. It was a night to remember: > He and his entire family > had put their trust in God; everyone in the house was in on the > celebration. > > 35-36At daybreak, the court judges sent officers with the instructions, > "Release these men." The > jailer gave Paul the message, "The judges sent word that you're free to go > on your way. > Congratulations! Go in peace!" > > 37But Paul wouldn't budge. He told the officers, "They beat us up in > public and threw us in jail, > Roman citizens in good standing! And now they want to get us out of the > way on the sly without > anyone knowing? Nothing doing! If they want us out of here, let them come > themselves and lead us out > in broad daylight." > > 38-40When the officers reported this, the judges panicked. They had no > idea that Paul and Silas > were Roman citizens. They hurried over and apologized, personally escorted > them from the jail, and > then asked them if they wouldn't please leave the city. Walking out of the > jail, Paul and Silas went > straight to Lydia's house, saw their friends again, encouraged them in the > faith, and only then went > on their way. > > Acts 17 > Thessalonica > 1-3 They took the road south through Amphipolis and Apollonia to > Thessalonica, where there was a > community of Jews. Paul went to their meeting place, as he usually did > when he came to a town, and > for three Sabbaths running he preached to them from the Scriptures. He > opened up the texts so they > understood what they'd been reading all their lives: that the Messiah > absolutely had to be put to > death and raised from the dead-there were no other options-and that "this > Jesus I'm introducing you > to is that Messiah." > 4-5Some of them were won over and joined ranks with Paul and Silas, among > them a great many > God-fearing Greeks and a considerable number of women from the > aristocracy. But the hard-line Jews > became furious over the conversions. Mad with jealousy, they rounded up a > bunch of brawlers off the > streets and soon had an ugly mob terrorizing the city as they hunted down > Paul and Silas. > > 5-7They broke into Jason's house, thinking that Paul and Silas were there. > When they couldn't find > them, they collared Jason and his friends instead and dragged them before > the city fathers, yelling > hysterically, "These people are out to destroy the world, and now they've > shown up on our doorstep, > attacking everything we hold dear! And Jason is hiding them, these > traitors and turncoats who say > Jesus is king and Caesar is nothing!" > > 8-9The city fathers and the crowd of people were totally alarmed by what > they heard. They made > Jason and his friends post heavy bail and let them go while they > investigated the charges. > > Berea > 10-12That night, under cover of darkness, their friends got Paul and Silas > out of town as fast as > they could. They sent them to Berea, where they again met with the Jewish > community. They were > treated a lot better there than in Thessalonica. The Jews received Paul's > message with enthusiasm > and met with him daily, examining the Scriptures to see if they supported > what he said. A lot of > them became believers, including many Greeks who were prominent in the > community, women and men of > influence. > 13-15But it wasn't long before reports got back to the Thessalonian > hardline Jews that Paul was at > it again, preaching the Word of God, this time in Berea. They lost no time > responding, and created a > mob scene there, too. With the help of his friends, Paul gave them the > slip-caught a boat and put > out to sea. Silas and Timothy stayed behind. The men who helped Paul > escape got him as far as Athens > and left him there. Paul sent word back with them to Silas and Timothy: > "Come as quickly as you > can!" > > Athens > 16The longer Paul waited in Athens for Silas and Timothy, the angrier he > got-all those idols! The > city was a junkyard of idols. > 17-18He discussed it with the Jews and other like-minded people at their > meeting place. And every > day he went out on the streets and talked with anyone who happened along. > He got to know some of the > Epicurean and Stoic intellectuals pretty well through these conversations. > Some of them dismissed > him with sarcasm: "What an airhead!" But others, listening to him go on > about Jesus and the > resurrection, were intrigued: "That's a new slant on the gods. Tell us > more." > > 19-21These people got together and asked him to make a public presentation > over at the Areopagus, > where things were a little quieter. They said, "This is a new one on us. > We've never heard anything > quite like it. Where did you come up with this anyway? Explain it so we > can understand." Downtown > Athens was a great place for gossip. There were always people hanging > around, natives and tourists > alike, waiting for the latest tidbit on most anything. > > 22-23So Paul took his stand in the open space at the Areopagus and laid it > out for them. "It is > plain to see that you Athenians take your religion seriously. When I > arrived here the other day, I > was fascinated with all the shrines I came across. And then I found one > inscribed, to the god nobody > knows. I'm here to introduce you to this God so you can worship > intelligently, know who you're > dealing with. > > 24-29"The God who made the world and everything in it, this Master of sky > and land, doesn't live in > custom-made shrines or need the human race to run errands for him, as if > he couldn't take care of > himself. He makes the creatures; the creatures don't make him. Starting > from scratch, he made the > entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and > space for living so we > could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually > find him. He doesn't play > hide-and-seek with us. He's not remote; he's near. We live and move in > him, can't get away from him! > One of your poets said it well: 'We're the God-created.' Well, if we are > the God-created, it doesn't > make a lot of sense to think we could hire a sculptor to chisel a god out > of stone for us, does it? > > 30-31"God overlooks it as long as you don't know any better-but that time > is past. The unknown is > now known, and he's calling for a radical life-change. He has set a day > when the entire human race > will be judged and everything set right. And he has already appointed the > judge, confirming him > before everyone by raising him from the dead." > > 32-34At the phrase "raising him from the dead," the listeners split: Some > laughed at him and walked > off making jokes; others said, "Let's do this again. We want to hear > more." But that was it for the > day, and Paul left. There were still others, it turned out, who were > convinced then and there, and > stuck with Paul-among them Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named > Damaris. > > Acts 18 > Corinth > 1-4After Athens, Paul went to Corinth. That is where he discovered Aquila, > a Jew born in Pontus, > and his wife, Priscilla. They had just arrived from Italy, part of the > general expulsion of Jews > from Rome ordered by Claudius. Paul moved in with them, and they worked > together at their common > trade of tentmaking. But every Sabbath he was at the meeting place, doing > his best to convince both > Jews and Greeks about Jesus. > 5-6When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was able to give > all his time to preaching > and teaching, doing everything he could to persuade the Jews that Jesus > was in fact God's Messiah. > But no such luck. All they did was argue contentiously and contradict him > at every turn. Totally > exasperated, Paul had finally had it with them and gave it up as a bad > job. "Have it your way, > then," he said. "You've made your bed; now lie in it. From now on I'm > spending my time with the > other nations." > > 7-8He walked out and went to the home of Titius Justus, a God-fearing man > who lived right next to > the Jews' meeting place. But Paul's efforts with the Jews weren't a total > loss, for Crispus, the > meeting-place president, put his trust in the Master. His entire family > believed with him. > > 8-11In the course of listening to Paul, a great many Corinthians believed > and were baptized. One > night the Master spoke to Paul in a dream: "Keep it up, and don't let > anyone intimidate or silence > you. No matter what happens, I'm with you and no one is going to be able > to hurt you. You have no > idea how many people I have on my side in this city." That was all he > needed to stick it out. He > stayed another year and a half, faithfully teaching the Word of God to the > Corinthians. > > 12-13But when Gallio was governor of Achaia province, the Jews got up a > campaign against Paul, > hauled him into court, and filed charges: "This man is seducing people > into acts of worship that are > illegal." > > 14-16Just as Paul was about to defend himself, Gallio interrupted and said > to the Jews, "If this > was a matter of criminal conduct, I would gladly hear you out. But it > sounds to me like one more > Jewish squabble, another of your endless hairsplitting quarrels over > religion. Take care of it on > your own time. I can't be bothered with this nonsense," and he cleared > them out of the courtroom. > > 17Now the street rabble turned on Sosthenes, the new meeting-place > president, and beat him up in > plain sight of the court. Gallio didn't raise a finger. He could not have > cared less. > > Ephesus > 18Paul stayed a while longer in Corinth, but then it was time to take > leave of his friends. Saying > his good-byes, he sailed for Syria, Priscilla and Aquila with him. Before > boarding the ship in the > harbor town of Cenchrea, he had his head shaved as part of a vow he had > taken. > 19-21They landed in Ephesus, where Priscilla and Aquila got off and > stayed. Paul left the ship > briefly to go to the meeting place and preach to the Jews. They wanted him > to stay longer, but he > said he couldn't. But after saying good-bye, he promised, "I'll be back, > God willing." > > 21-22From Ephesus he sailed to Caesarea. He greeted the church there, and > then went on to Antioch, > completing the journey. > > 23After spending a considerable time with the Antioch Christians, Paul set > off again for Galatia > and Phrygia, retracing his old tracks, one town after another, putting > fresh heart into the > disciples. > > 24-26A man named Apollos came to Ephesus. He was a Jew, born in > Alexandria, Egypt, and a terrific > speaker, eloquent and powerful in his preaching of the Scriptures. He was > well-educated in the way > of the Master and fiery in his enthusiasm. Apollos was accurate in > everything he taught about Jesus > up to a point, but he only went as far as the baptism of John. He preached > with power in the meeting > place. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and told > him the rest of the story. > > 27-28When Apollos decided to go on to Achaia province, his Ephesian > friends gave their blessing and > wrote a letter of recommendation for him, urging the disciples there to > welcome him with open arms. > The welcome paid off: Apollos turned out to be a great help to those who > had become believers > through God's immense generosity. He was particularly effective in public > debate with the Jews as he > brought out proof after convincing proof from the Scriptures that Jesus > was in fact God's Messiah. > > > > > > > > ~~~~~ > 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]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/dbilg?hl=.
