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 26, 2009 12:39 AM Subject: Daily Bible Reading For Thursday November 26 > Day 330 > > 1 Corinthians 13 > The Way of Love > 1 If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm > nothing but the creaking > of a rusty gate. 2If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his > mysteries and making > everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, > "Jump," and it jumps, but I > don't love, I'm nothing. 3-7If I give everything I own to the poor and > even go to the stake to be > burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter > what I say, what I believe, > and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love. > > Love never gives up. > Love cares more for others than for self. > Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. > Love doesn't strut, > Doesn't have a swelled head, > Doesn't force itself on others, > Isn't always "me first," > Doesn't fly off the handle, > Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, > Doesn't revel when others grovel, > Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, > Puts up with anything, > Trusts God always, > Always looks for the best, > Never looks back, > But keeps going to the end. > 8-10Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in > tongues will end; > understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, > and what we say about God > is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will > be canceled. > > 11When I was an infant at my mother's breast, I gurgled and cooed like any > infant. When I grew up, > I left those infant ways for good. > > 12We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering > through a mist. But it won't > be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it > all then, see it all as > clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us! > > 13But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do > to lead us toward that > consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love > extravagantly. And the best of the > three is love. > > 1 Corinthians 14 > Prayer Language > 1-3Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it-because it does. > Give yourselves to the > gifts God gives you. Most of all, try to proclaim his truth. If you praise > him in the private > language of tongues, God understands you but no one else does, for you are > sharing intimacies just > between you and him. But when you proclaim his truth in everyday speech, > you're letting others in on > the truth so that they can grow and be strong and experience his presence > with you. > 4-5The one who prays using a private "prayer language" certainly gets a > lot out of it, but > proclaiming God's truth to the church in its common language brings the > whole church into growth and > strength. I want all of you to develop intimacies with God in prayer, but > please don't stop with > that. Go on and proclaim his clear truth to others. It's more important > that everyone have access to > the knowledge and love of God in language everyone understands than that > you go off and cultivate > God's presence in a mysterious prayer language-unless, of course, there is > someone who can interpret > what you are saying for the benefit of all. > > 6-8Think, friends: If I come to you and all I do is pray privately to God > in a way only he can > understand, what are you going to get out of that? If I don't address you > plainly with some insight > or truth or proclamation or teaching, what help am I to you? If musical > instruments-flutes, say, or > harps-aren't played so that each note is distinct and in tune, how will > anyone be able to catch the > melody and enjoy the music? If the trumpet call can't be distinguished, > will anyone show up for the > battle? > > 9-12So if you speak in a way no one can understand, what's the point of > opening your mouth? There > are many languages in the world and they all mean something to someone. > But if I don't understand > the language, it's not going to do me much good. It's no different with > you. Since you're so eager > to participate in what God is doing, why don't you concentrate on doing > what helps everyone in the > church? > > 13-17So, when you pray in your private prayer language, don't hoard the > experience for yourself. > Pray for the insight and ability to bring others into that intimacy. If I > pray in tongues, my spirit > prays but my mind lies fallow, and all that intelligence is wasted. So > what's the solution? The > answer is simple enough. Do both. I should be spiritually free and > expressive as I pray, but I > should also be thoughtful and mindful as I pray. I should sing with my > spirit, and sing with my > mind. If you give a blessing using your private prayer language, which no > one else understands, how > can some outsider who has just shown up and has no idea what's going on > know when to say "Amen"? > Your blessing might be beautiful, but you have very effectively cut that > person out of it. > > 18-19I'm grateful to God for the gift of praying in tongues that he gives > us for praising him, > which leads to wonderful intimacies we enjoy with him. I enter into this > as much or more than any of > you. But when I'm in a church assembled for worship, I'd rather say five > words that everyone can > understand and learn from than say ten thousand that sound to others like > gibberish. > > 20-25To be perfectly frank, I'm getting exasperated with your infantile > thinking. How long before > you grow up and use your head-your adult head? It's all right to have a > childlike unfamiliarity with > evil; a simple no is all that's needed there. But there's far more to > saying yes to something. Only > mature and well-exercised intelligence can save you from falling into > gullibility. It's written in > Scripture that God said, > > In strange tongues > and from the mouths of strangers > I will preach to this people, > but they'll neither listen nor believe. > So where does it get you, all this speaking in tongues no one understands? > It doesn't help > believers, and it only gives unbelievers something to gawk at. Plain > truth-speaking, on the other > hand, goes straight to the heart of believers and doesn't get in the way > of unbelievers. If you come > together as a congregation and some unbelieving outsiders walk in on you > as you're all praying in > tongues, unintelligible to each other and to them, won't they assume > you've taken leave of your > senses and get out of there as fast as they can? But if some unbelieving > outsiders walk in on a > service where people are speaking out God's truth, the plain words will > bring them up against the > truth and probe their hearts. Before you know it, they're going to be on > their faces before God, > recognizing that God is among you. > > 26-33So here's what I want you to do. When you gather for worship, each > one of you be prepared with > something that will be useful for all: Sing a hymn, teach a lesson, tell a > story, lead a prayer, > provide an insight. If prayers are offered in tongues, two or three's the > limit, and then only if > someone is present who can interpret what you're saying. Otherwise, keep > it between God and > yourself. And no more than two or three speakers at a meeting, with the > rest of you listening and > taking it to heart. Take your turn, no one person taking over. Then each > speaker gets a chance to > say something special from God, and you all learn from each other. If you > choose to speak, you're > also responsible for how and when you speak. When we worship the right > way, God doesn't stir us up > into confusion; he brings us into harmony. This goes for all the > churches-no exceptions. > > 34-36Wives must not disrupt worship, talking when they should be > listening, asking questions that > could more appropriately be asked of their husbands at home. God's Book of > the law guides our > manners and customs here. Wives have no license to use the time of worship > for unwarranted speaking. > Do you-both women and men-imagine that you're a sacred oracle determining > what's right and wrong? Do > you think everything revolves around you? > > 37-38If any one of you thinks God has something for you to say or has > inspired you to do something, > pay close attention to what I have written. This is the way the Master > wants it. If you won't play > by these rules, God can't use you. Sorry. > > 39-40Three things, then, to sum this up: When you speak forth God's truth, > speak your heart out. > Don't tell people how they should or shouldn't pray when they're praying > in tongues that you don't > understand. Be courteous and considerate in everything. > > 1 Corinthians 15 > Resurrection > 1-2Friends, let me go over the Message with you one final time- this > Message that I proclaimed and > that you made your own; this Message on which you took your stand and by > which your life has been > saved. (I'm assuming, now, that your belief was the real thing and not a > passing fancy, that you're > in this for good and holding fast.) > 3-9The first thing I did was place before you what was placed so > emphatically before me: that the > Messiah died for our sins, exactly as Scripture tells it; that he was > buried; that he was raised > from death on the third day, again exactly as Scripture says; that he > presented himself alive to > Peter, then to his closest followers, and later to more than five hundred > of his followers all at > the same time, most of them still around (although a few have since died); > that he then spent time > with James and the rest of those he commissioned to represent him; and > that he finally presented > himself alive to me. It was fitting that I bring up the rear. I don't > deserve to be included in that > inner circle, as you well know, having spent all those early years trying > my best to stamp God's > church right out of existence. > > 10-11But because God was so gracious, so very generous, here I am. And I'm > not about to let his > grace go to waste. Haven't I worked hard trying to do more than any of the > others? Even then, my > work didn't amount to all that much. It was God giving me the work to do, > God giving me the energy > to do it. So whether you heard it from me or from those others, it's all > the same: We spoke God's > truth and you entrusted your lives. > > 12-15Now, let me ask you something profound yet troubling. If you became > believers because you > trusted the proclamation that Christ is alive, risen from the dead, how > can you let people say that > there is no such thing as a resurrection? If there's no resurrection, > there's no living Christ. And > face it-if there's no resurrection for Christ, everything we've told you > is smoke and mirrors, and > everything you've staked your life on is smoke and mirrors. Not only that, > but we would be guilty of > telling a string of barefaced lies about God, all these affidavits we > passed on to you verifying > that God raised up Christ-sheer fabrications, if there's no resurrection. > > 16-20If corpses can't be raised, then Christ wasn't, because he was indeed > dead. And if Christ > weren't raised, then all you're doing is wandering about in the dark, as > lost as ever. It's even > worse for those who died hoping in Christ and resurrection, because > they're already in their graves. > If all we get out of Christ is a little inspiration for a few short years, > we're a pretty sorry lot. > But the truth is that Christ has been raised up, the first in a long > legacy of those who are going > to leave the cemeteries. > > 21-28There is a nice symmetry in this: Death initially came by a man, and > resurrection from death > came by a man. Everybody dies in Adam; everybody comes alive in Christ. > But we have to wait our > turn: Christ is first, then those with him at his Coming, the grand > consummation when, after > crushing the opposition, he hands over his kingdom to God the Father. He > won't let up until the last > enemy is down-and the very last enemy is death! As the psalmist said, "He > laid them low, one and > all; he walked all over them." When Scripture says that "he walked all > over them," it's obvious that > he couldn't at the same time be walked on. When everything and everyone is > finally under God's rule, > the Son will step down, taking his place with everyone else, showing that > God's rule is absolutely > comprehensive-a perfect ending! > > 29Why do you think people offer themselves to be baptized for those > already in the grave? If > there's no chance of resurrection for a corpse, if God's power stops at > the cemetery gates, why do > we keep doing things that suggest he's going to clean the place out > someday, pulling everyone up on > their feet alive? > > 30-33And why do you think I keep risking my neck in this dangerous work? I > look death in the face > practically every day I live. Do you think I'd do this if I wasn't > convinced of your resurrection > and mine as guaranteed by the resurrected Messiah Jesus? Do you think I > was just trying to act > heroic when I fought the wild beasts at Ephesus, hoping it wouldn't be the > end of me? Not on your > life! It's resurrection, resurrection, always resurrection, that > undergirds what I do and say, the > way I live. If there's no resurrection, "We eat, we drink, the next day we > die," and that's all > there is to it. But don't fool yourselves. Don't let yourselves be > poisoned by this > anti-resurrection loose talk. "Bad company ruins good manners." > > 34Think straight. Awaken to the holiness of life. No more playing fast and > loose with resurrection > facts. Ignorance of God is a luxury you can't afford in times like these. > Aren't you embarrassed > that you've let this kind of thing go on as long as you have? > > 35-38Some skeptic is sure to ask, "Show me how resurrection works. Give me > a diagram; draw me a > picture. What does this 'resurrection body' look like?" If you look at > this question closely, you > realize how absurd it is. There are no diagrams for this kind of thing. We > do have a parallel > experience in gardening. You plant a "dead" seed; soon there is a > flourishing plant. There is no > visual likeness between seed and plant. You could never guess what a > tomato would look like by > looking at a tomato seed. What we plant in the soil and what grows out of > it don't look anything > alike. The dead body that we bury in the ground and the resurrection body > that comes from it will be > dramatically different. > > 39-41You will notice that the variety of bodies is stunning. Just as there > are different kinds of > seeds, there are different kinds of bodies-humans, animals, birds, > fish-each unprecedented in its > form. You get a hint at the diversity of resurrection glory by looking at > the diversity of bodies > not only on earth but in the skies-sun, moon, stars-all these varieties of > beauty and brightness. > And we're only looking at pre-resurrection "seeds"-who can imagine what > the resurrection "plants" > will be like! > > 42-44This image of planting a dead seed and raising a live plant is a mere > sketch at best, but > perhaps it will help in approaching the mystery of the resurrection > body-but only if you keep in > mind that when we're raised, we're raised for good, alive forever! The > corpse that's planted is no > beauty, but when it's raised, it's glorious. Put in the ground weak, it > comes up powerful. The seed > sown is natural; the seed grown is supernatural-same seed, same body, but > what a difference from > when it goes down in physical mortality to when it is raised up in > spiritual immortality! > > 45-49We follow this sequence in Scripture: The First Adam received life, > the Last Adam is a > life-giving Spirit. Physical life comes first, then spiritual-a firm base > shaped from the earth, a > final completion coming out of heaven. The First Man was made out of > earth, and people since then > are earthy; the Second Man was made out of heaven, and people now can be > heavenly. In the same way > that we've worked from our earthy origins, let's embrace our heavenly > ends. > > 50I need to emphasize, friends, that our natural, earthy lives don't in > themselves lead us by their > very nature into the kingdom of God. Their very "nature" is to die, so how > could they "naturally" > end up in the Life kingdom? > > 51-57But let me tell you something wonderful, a mystery I'll probably > never fully understand. We're > not all going to die-but we are all going to be changed. You hear a blast > to end all blasts from a > trumpet, and in the time that you look up and blink your eyes-it's over. > On signal from that trumpet > from heaven, the dead will be up and out of their graves, beyond the reach > of death, never to die > again. At the same moment and in the same way, we'll all be changed. In > the resurrection scheme of > things, this has to happen: everything perishable taken off the shelves > and replaced by the > imperishable, this mortal replaced by the immortal. Then the saying will > come true: > > Death swallowed by triumphant Life! > Who got the last word, oh, Death? > Oh, Death, who's afraid of you now? > It was sin that made death so frightening and law-code guilt that gave sin > its leverage, its > destructive power. But now in a single victorious stroke of Life, all > three-sin, guilt, death-are > gone, the gift of our Master, Jesus Christ. Thank God! > > 58With all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, stand your ground. > And don't hold back. Throw > yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for > him is a waste of time or > effort. > > 1 Corinthians 16 > Coming to See You > 1-4Regarding the relief offering for poor Christians that is being > collected, you get the same > instructions I gave the churches in Galatia. Every Sunday each of you make > an offering and put it in > safekeeping. Be as generous as you can. When I get there you'll have it > ready, and I won't have to > make a special appeal. Then after I arrive, I'll write letters authorizing > whomever you delegate, > and send them off to Jerusalem to deliver your gift. If you think it best > that I go along, I'll be > glad to travel with them. > 5-9I plan to visit you after passing through northern Greece. I won't be > staying long there, but > maybe I can stay awhile with you-maybe even spend the winter? Then you > could give me a good > send-off, wherever I may be headed next. I don't want to just drop by in > between other "primary" > destinations. I want a good, long, leisurely visit. If the Master agrees, > we'll have it! For the > present, I'm staying right here in Ephesus. A huge door of opportunity for > good work has opened up > here. (There is also mushrooming opposition.) > > 10-11If Timothy shows up, take good care of him. Make him feel completely > at home among you. He > works so hard for the Master, just as I do. Don't let anyone disparage > him. After a while, send him > on to me with your blessing. Tell him I'm expecting him, and any friends > he has with him. > > 12About our friend Apollos, I've done my best to get him to pay you a > visit, but haven't talked him > into it yet. He doesn't think this is the right time. But there will be a > "right time." > > 13-14Keep your eyes open, hold tight to your convictions, give it all > you've got, be resolute, and > love without stopping. > > 15-16Would you do me a favor, friends, and give special recognition to the > family of Stephanas? You > know, they were among the first converts in Greece, and they've put > themselves out, serving > Christians ever since then. I want you to honor and look up to people like > that: companions and > workers who show us how to do it, giving us something to aspire to. > > 17-18I want you to know how delighted I am to have Stephanas, Fortunatus, > and Achaicus here with > me. They partially make up for your absence! They've refreshed me by > keeping me in touch with you. > Be proud that you have people like this among you. > > 19The churches here in western Asia send greetings. > > Aquila, Priscilla, and the church that meets in their house say hello. > > 20All the friends here say hello. > > Pass the greetings around with holy embraces! > > 21And I, Paul-in my own handwriting!-send you my regards. > > 22If anyone won't love the Master, throw him out. Make room for the > Master! > > 23Our Master Jesus has his arms wide open for you. > > 24And I love all of you in the Messiah, in Jesus. > > > > > > > > ~~~~~ > 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.
