15. August 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

It’s the weekend and instead of starting a new study at the end of the week, let me share with you this simple verse from the proverbial wisdom that is just so encouraging. 

Proverbs 13:12 “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.”

Hope is filled with the things that we desire and dream for and when those things are delayed and take a long time to manifest it can drain us emotionally and mentally and cause our hearts to be grieved but when a longing is fulfilled or the dream manifests it revives us and encourages and contains in  it the ability to substain us both physically and mentally.   

Stay encouraged 

God Bless!!!!   

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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14. August 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

Our text for today is: 

Matthew 8:14 When Jesus came into Peter’s house, he saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him. 16 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.”  

For those of you that are following daily, then you know that this is the third miracle that Matthew records and each one is done differently. 

The healing of the leper was a request from the leper to be healed and Jesus touched him.  The healing of the centurion’s servant was a request but Jesus spoke the word and he was healed.  In the case of the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law, the text simply says that when Jesus entered the house, he saw her sick and healed her.   

Then we see for the first time in the text where Jesus begins to cast out demons and adds to his reputation as a healer.  As you can see from the text healings come in different forms.  I always tell people that you can’t create a formula for how God is going to do something and how it happened for someone else does not necessarily mean that it will happen that way for the next person.Jesus spoke the word based on a request, he touched based on a request and then he just healed with no request recorded.One of the things that I constantly pray for is that a revival of miracles would come back into the life of the church.  Let me be clear, I do know that miracles still exist, I have experienced it myself but I still pray and believe that the season of miracles that the ancient world experienced will once again infiltrate the church for I personally believe it will help restore the respect and honor back to the church of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  However, God does it; I do believe with all my heart that respect and honor for the church will be restored.God Bless!!!!   

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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13. August 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

The second miracle that Matthew records Jesus doing is the healing of the centurion’s servant. 

Let’s look at the text:   

Matthew 8:5  When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6 ”Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering.” 7 Jesus said to him, “I will go and heal him.” 8 The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10 When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, “I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in

What is so powerful about this miracle is that it shows how one man could just believe in the word without having Jesus to be physically present.    The concept is authority and knowing how it works.  The centurion  in the ancient world was a ruler of 100 men in the Roman Government.  He understood what it meant to pass a command down and he expected his men to follow through with the order.    Soldiers did whatever necessary to make sure a command was carried out even at the risk of it endangering their own lives.  This scenario is so powerful.   God word will not return unto void but will accomplish what God sent it out to do.  The word cannot return without it completing its assignment.  How powerful. 

If we can have this type of faith in God’s word we would see so many more things manifest for us.  If we can just believe.   Yes, laying on of hands by our elders for healing and deliverance is beneficial and the word does tell us if there are any sick among us to call for the elders of the church and let them  pray but God’s word has the “authority” to heal and deliver if we only believe.   

Our miracle on yesterday showed Jesus laying hands on the leper for his healing, our miracle today shows Jesus speaking the word and his servant was healed.  It is important not to put God in a box on how our miracles and deliverances will occur.  For some, it may be through laying on of hands and for others it may be through just standing on God’s word. 

Jesus uses this example of this centurion’s faith which was a Gentile to contrast it with the faithlessness of the Jews.  He states that many will come from the east and west and sit at the table with the patriarchs of the faith but will be cast into outer darkness because they did not believe or accept Christ as the Messiah. 

Jesus was astonished at this man’s faith.  He could believe without restrictions, without his presence.  Jesus instructs the centurion that just as he wills it so will it be and in that same hour his servant was healed.  Tomorrow, we will look at our third miracle and compare and contrast them. I want to encourage us all to “just believe.”   Yesterday, we talked about how God was willing and so today;  just believe. 

God Bless!!!!    Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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12. August 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:   

Our text for today is Matthew 8: 1-4  When he came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. 2 A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” 3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cured of his leprosy. 4 Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” (NIV) 

Now we’re about to experience some of the many miracles that Jesus did.  As you can see from our text when he came down from the mountainside large crowds began to follow him.  The Sermon on the Mount closed with the statement that the people noticed that there was something different about his teaching because he taught with authority over against the other religious leaders.   Just from his teachings, Jesus had developed a reputation of being different and being authoritative.  Crowds now began to pull on him for healing.   Jesus had already established his reputation as a teacher, now he would be established as a healer all proving and pointing towards his deity.   

Matthew records his first miracle as being the healing of the man with leprosy.    The text says that the man with leprosy came and knelt before him.  What is strange about this scene is that in the ancient world a man with leprosy would not normally come and approach anyone.     The word leper comes from a Greek and Hebrew word which in both cases means scale.   The disease leprosy was some type of disease that had a scaly skin manifestation as one of its symptoms.   In Leviticus the 13^th chapter the bible gives clear directives on how to handle lepers in the biblical world.  Let’s look at this text. 

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 2 ”When a man has on the skin of his body a swelling or a scab or a bright spot, and it becomes an  infection of leprosy on the skin of his body,  then  he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the priests. 3 ”The priest shall look at the mark on the skin of the body,  and if the hair in the infection has turned white and the infection appears to be deeper than the skin of his body,  it is an infection of leprosy; when the priest has looked at him, he shall pronounce him unclean…………45″As for the leper who has the infection, his clothes shall be torn, and the  hair of his head shall be uncovered,  and he shall cover his mustache and cry, ‘  Unclean! Unclean!’ 46 ”He shall remain unclean all the days during which he has the infection; he is unclean. He shall live alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp. (NASV) So as you can see lepers were not to come in contact with people for fear of spreading the disease.  If they got close to people, they were to cover their mouth and cry out unclean, unclean to warn the people and they actually were suppose to live in isolation. 

This man came to Jesus.  He cared less what the people thought or what the risks of him coming into the crowd may be.  He could have easily been stoned if he was identified as a leper.  He risked it all to come in contact with Jesus.  How powerful.   He risked his very life for the chance of being healed. The text says he worshipped and didn’t demand anything of Jesus but only said “if you are willing, you can make me clean.  The leper was confident that Jesus could heal him.    Jesus said:  “ I am willing.”   I love this….   I am willing.   When I wrote those words it’s almost like I could hear Jesus saying now;   “I am willing”……   I am willing…….   Whatever your situation is;  “Jesus is willing…..” 

The text says that immediately the man was healed of his leprosy and was instructed to go show himself to the priest and offer the approriate gift as required by law so that he could be declared clean and received back into the community.  Oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   I am willing.     That touched my heart so.  We’ll continue with the miracles of Jesus on tomorrow.   

God Bless!!!!  Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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11. August 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Good Morning: A friend of mine sent me an email this weekend and on the bottom of the email was Psalm 77:14.  I looked up the entire Psalm and it touched my heart so.   It talks about the struggle of waiting on God and wondering if anything is ever going to change for the better and though the psalmist complains, he concludes with praise.  I hope it encourages you as it did me.   

Psalm 1 I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. 2 When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands and my soul refused to be comforted. 3 I remembered you, O God, and I groaned; I mused, and my spirit grew faint. Selah  4 You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak. 5 I thought about the former days, the years of long ago; 6 I remembered my songs in the night. My heart mused and my spirit inquired: 7 ”Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? 8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time?  

9 Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?” Selah 10 Then I thought, “To this I will appeal: the years of the right hand of the Most High.” 11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.   12 I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds. 13 Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God? 14 You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. 15 With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. Selah  16 The waters saw you, O God, the waters saw you and writhed; the very depths were convulsed. 17 The clouds poured down water, the skies resounded with thunder; your arrows flashed back and forth. 18 Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked. 19 Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen. 20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

We’ll start Matthew Chapter 8 on tomorrow.  God Bless!!!!   Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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8. August 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:   

Our text for today is Matthew7:24-29 

24 ”Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” 28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. 

Our text today concludes the infamous “sermon on the mountain.”  Jesus uses an analogy of a man building a house and using a rock as his foundation verses sand.   The “words of mine” that Jesus is referring to is the part of scripture covered in Matthew chapters 5 through 7.   

Jesus concludes by telling us that if we obey these teachings and live our lives accordingly then no matter what storms come in our life and no matter how hard the winds blow and beat up against us, we will not fall because our foundation is sure and strong.    On the other hand, should we choose to ignore these teachings, he calls us foolish and destined to fall and not just  fall but fall with a “great crash.”   

The text teaches that when Jesus finished his teachings, the crowds were amazed because he wasn’t just another religious teacher but he taught with authority and not as the other teachers. 

This concludes our five month study of the Sermon on the Mount.  Can you believe we spent five months on just two chapters of the bible?   

We have learned a lot of historical background and Jewish culture which was necessary to understand the scriptures in its context. 

As with any information, the challenge is “Will we put it into practice.”    Are you building on a rock or sand? 

Have a wonderful weekend.  We’ll start Matthew the 8^th chapter on Monday. 

God Bless!!!!  

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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7. August 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Good Morning: 

Our text for today is: 

Matthew 7:21 ”Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ 

This text continues to flow out of the story line “beware” and “only a few will find it.”  Jesus warns us that though people may prophesy in his name and the prophecies come true and people may drive out demons and perform miracles in his name does not guarantee them entrance into the kingdom of God. 

The text teaches only those who do the will of my Father who is in heaven  will enter in.  One may ask how can I really know what is the will of God?    God’s will and his word are synonymous.  You know his word, you know his will.  It’s not hidden, but according to statistics most of us do not invest the time or energy needed to learn the word which is why for some of us, we can be easily deceived.   

Since March, we have been studying the “Sermon on the Mount.”  We have covered in detail what the characteristics and personality should be of a person that is really in the kingdom. 

Jesus has taught us about the heart.  He has taught us through the beatitudes to be poor in spirit, to be meek, to be merciful, to be a peacemaker, to be pure in heart, to hunger and thirst after righteousness, and to endure persecution.  

He has taught us to look into our hearts and make sure we have the right attitudes and has taught us about the dangers of revenge, anger, lusts in our hearts, and desiring the treasures of this world over against seeking God. 

Jesus is about to bring this sermon to a close, but he has taught us how to renew our minds.  He has given us practical examples on how to change and how to reconcile with those who have wronged us and who we have wronged.  He has clearly laid out the way.   

Today, he focuses back in on the heart again, by telling us just because a person does good works in the name of God and calls him Lord, does not mean that they were ever a part of the kingdom.  The heart has to be examined.  Why are you doing what you’re doing?  Why are you giving?  Why are you praying? Why are you sacrificing?  In this case, why were they prophesizing and casting out demons?  What were their motives?  It could not have been to please God or to do his will for the text says Jesus will say:  I never knew them.   

If I could sum up this entire Sermon on the Mount in one word it would be “heart.”  Jesus teaches us how to change our hearts.  He teaches us how to develop the right priorities, how to have the right motives.   

I don’t know about you but there is so much that I have learned in this series, way more than I can pen on these pages every week and I can honestly say it has been life changing.    I have had to examine my motives, deal with relationships, change my way of thinking about certain things, let go of some pride that I was holding on to and just get meek and humble about a whole lot of things. 

I have realized that at the end of the day, I want to be able to lay my head on my pillow and hear God say to me, “well done.” 

Yes, it’s a process and I just have to take one day at a time and each day I feel stronger and surer of who I really am in God.  When mistakes are made, we just have to pick ourselves up and “keep moving.”   

Earlier this year, I was so motivated by a friend of mine’s email and testimony to keep moving (most of you know him) that I bought a silver bracelet and had the words “keep moving” engraved on it along with a friend of mine that also did it with me.   

It is a daily reminder that no matter what happens; I can’t stop and get depressed about it.  I just got to keep moving.   Even if the steps are baby steps, Keep moving and at the end of the day, or the end of the week, or the end of the month, or year, those baby steps have resulted in major accomplishments and major victories. KEEP MOVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Let me be clear, it’s not a burden to live for God, it’s a privilege.  Remember, Jesus said, “only a few will find it.”   I can honestly say that living as a Christian is liberating and exciting and so full of joy and fulfillment even through the hard times.   We just have to learn as Paul says; “to be content in whatsoever state we are in.”  This is where we are, live in it, enjoy it, endure it and it all works together for our good.   

Let’s examine our hearts today, for it is a dangerous thing for the Lord to say; “I never knew you.”  Never…….    WOW!!!!!  Never knew you……….. 

God Bless!!!!  Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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6. August 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Good Morning: 

In our lesson today, our Lord warns us against false prophets and shows us how we can identify them.  We are living in a time where moral relativism (whatever feels right for me) is at an all time high even among some of what the world deems as “role models.” 

New Agers, Spiritualists, etc are invading our airwaves proclaiming and teaching that it is not necessary to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior and the work of the cross is of non-affect.    They come in all shapes, sizes, and forms disguised as doers of good and for many of them, they honestly believe they have found the way and want to share it with the world. 

People are free to believe whatever they want in this world but any gospel other than that of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ according to the bible that I believe in is false.  Jesus also dealt with false prophets and other teachings in his day.  This is nothing new.  Jesus condemned it then and he instructs us to beware. 

Here is our text.  Matthew 7:15-2015 ”Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.  

Look at the text, you may say…  but some of these people do good deeds and isn’t that classified as good fruits.   Whenever you teach anything contrary to the “holy scriptures” it is not good fruits no matter what your charitable contributions to society have been.    Money cannot save you, good deeds cannot save you only the gospel of Jesus Christ.    The soul does have a destiny……  heaven or hell.      Remember, our Lesson on yesterday..  this text flows out of that,  only a few will find it…………..    

God Bless!!!! 

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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5. August 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Good Morning: 

Our next verse that we are studying touched my heart so.  Let me share with you how.   

Here is the text.   

Matthew 7: 13 ”Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.    Most of us have heard this text.  It refers to how more people travel the “way of the world” (wide is that gate) and how fewer people travel the narrow gate (the path that leads to God). 

Well, what blessed me this morning is the last line of this verse.  But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.      Only a few find it.   Immediately when I read this text, something swelled up on the inside of me and I said,  God thank you that I found it.   Jesus said only a few ……   only  a few find it.  Ohhhhhhhh…………….  that line just brought tears to my eyes. 

I have heard it all my life and for some reason this morning, that last phrase meant the world to me. God, I found it.  You found it.  Only a few will find it.   God thank you……………. That’s all I want to talk about today.  Just keep that in your hearts with me today.  Let’s be grateful that we found HIM….    For Jesus says only a few will………………   

God Bless!!!! 

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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4. August 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Good Morning: 

Welcome back from the weekend.     

It’s one of those weeks where I just want to increase my praise to God.  God is soooooooo wonderful.  Our God really is amazing.    I had a wonderful weekend; I didn’t do anything special except attend church and worship before our God and fellowship with the saints.  It was really special.  I love Sundays; they are my absolute favorite day of the week.   

When I read our morning devotional for the day, I thought how appropriate.  I was just talking to a friend this morning about how sometimes we make things so complicated as Christians. Too often we try to rationalize and figure things out when we should just take God at his word.  If God said it, He will bring it to pass, if He spoke it, He will make it good.   

I remember the early days of my salvation when it seemed like I could just believe God for anything.  I would speak it, decree it, stand on it, rebuke doubt, and just believe.  Life and circumstances have a way of beating you down sometimes to where the fight that you had early in the “game” you begin to loose it and just start accepting things.    But GOD!!!!!!!!!!!  Ohhhhhh!!!!!!!!!  God has way of reviving you and encouraging you and strengthening you and when you return back to the fight, you’re stronger than ever and more determined than before.   So with all that in mind our text for today is:  Matthew 7:7-12

7“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 ”Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.   

Jesus is telling us that this is the conclusion of the matter;  If you can’t figure all this out then just do unto others as you would have them do to you and God will take care of the rest.   Just treat people right as you want to be treated right and remember that we are the children of God and we have the ability to ask our Father and he will not deny us.    For those of you that have been following this series, you must remember that context drives meaning.  God is not to be treated like a Jeanie in a bottle that you summon when you need something.  The text is inside of the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus has constantly been teaching his followers and his audience that relationship with God is primary and foremost.    

It is so important to work on our relationship with God.  What other relationship or thing is more important than that, yet we daily make choices that have nothing to do with working on our relationship with God nor growing in His Word.  Think about how powerful it is to have access to the God that has ultimate and all power; the creator of the universe.  THE BOSS!!!!!!!!!     

God Bless!!!! 

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily. 

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