Freedom

17. October 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

Our text for today is: 

Matthew 10:32 ”Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven. 34 ”Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law– 36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ 37 ”Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 40 ”He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me. 41 Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.”  

Our text today closes out the mission of the disciples given by Jesus.  Today, the text focuses on not being ashamed of Jesus.   Often times, we are afraid to let people know that we are Christians let alone share our faith.   Jesus is clear in this passage that if we acknowledge Him before men then Jesus will acknowledge us before our Father in Heaven and if we disown Him before men then He will do likewise before God.   Most scholars agree that this is speaking about the Day of Judgment.  If we are going to be Christians then we are obligated to embrace our faith both privately and publicly.   

Jesus then makes it clear that He did not come so that everyone would get along.  The gospel of Jesus Christ will cause division in homes because one will stand up for Christ and another may embrace other theologies or choose to be an agnostic or an atheist which will create enemies in your own home.  Jesus is clear that we can not love family members more to the point that we will compromise our Faith.  God is first.    

Jesus then makes an interesting claim.  “He that finds his life will lose it and he that loses his life for the sake of the gospel will find it.”   Jesus is basically saying that if you are trying to hold on to your life and live by the world standards then you will lose it in eternity but those that are willing to endure and suffer for the gospel’s sake then you will find what true life really is and live with Him in eternity.     

Be clear:  God has a wonderful plan for our lives and does want us to enjoy the abundant life of this world but there is pain and suffering that comes with being a Christian.    While we know that pain and suffering does not escape anyone whether Christian or not   there is a “cross” to bear with living for God.  Jesus is clear that if we do not take up our cross we are not worthy to be called Christians.   I’m sorry,  I can’t clean it up for you.  These are the facts. 

Now, I do not want to leave you in a doom and gloom mode with this text.  The text actually ends very encouraging by letting us know that if we receive a prophet or a righteous man then we will receive the rewards that go with that.   

Being Christian is freedom.  It is liberating.  A lot of the bondage that we are experiencing as Christians is not biblical.  It is self inflicted, it is through erroneous doctrine, bad leaders, people who will not commit to study and just teach anything and the hearers who will not research the scriptures to see if what we are being taught is correct and is taught in the right context. 

While I do see much bad that happens across this world in our pulpits, I also see much good.  It is our responsibility to search the scriptures to make sure we are being taught correctly. The average Christian never goes over the Sunday or Bible study message to make sure it is in line with the truth of scripture nor do we question our leaders when we feel something is wrong.  Good leaders love for their congregations to be astute enough in the word to raise issues and to challenge them.  It keeps them grounded and it helps their study life and we will get a better quality of ministry from them because they know we are checking.   Good leaders want the type of church that Paul often bragged about; the Bereans who after Paul taught them they searched the scriptures to see if it be so.   

I understand bondage, I have been there for many, many years but the personal study of the scriptures carries with it a freedom that words cannot express.   Equip yourselves with God’s word and no one can ever put you in bondage, make you feel inferior, or make you lose purpose or feel you don’t have one.  Jesus has set us free and He whom the son sets free is free indeed. 

Live your life and live it freely.  

Have a great weekend.

 

Stay encouraged!!!!!!!!

 

God Bless!!!!!!!!!!

 

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Don’t Be Afraid

16. October 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

Our text for today is: 

Matthew 10:24 ”A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebub, how much more the members of his household! 26 ”So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.  

Our text today continues with the mission of the disciples.  Jesus opens up this passage with talking about the teacher/student and master/servant relationship.   Jesus is letting his disciples know that whatever happens to the master/teacher could also happen to the servant/student.   A student/servant is not above their superiors and could easily suffer the same fate as their mentors.   

Jesus encourages his disciples to not be afraid to preach the gospel no matter how unpopular and what he has taught to them in secret, they are encouraged to preach openly. 

 

Jesus then gives his disciples a strict warning.   He instructs them that it is the will of God that the gospel be proclaimed and that they should be more afraid of not submitting to God’s will than what people will say that are hostile to the faith.  He clearly tells them “do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul, rather be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.   He assures his disciples again with the analogy of a sparrow and how two are sold for a penny but not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of God and we are more valuable than sparrows.  His purpose is to encourage us that in the minutest of details God has it covered for even the very hairs of our heads are numbered, that’s how well and thorough God is about every detail.   

What I see most about this lesson is the sovereignty of God.   What I mean by sovereignty is that God is in control of every situation, circumstance, or event in our life no matter how small or how great. 

God really does have everything under control and if we obey his word and do his will though it make come with adversity at times God really does have our back and just in the example with the sparrow in terms of how it will not fall to the ground unless it is the will of God nothing will happen to us if we are doing his will unless it is designed by God.     

 

To me that is the safest place to be, in the will of God.  When we are there then whatever happens whether we think it is good or bad then it is what God has sanctioned and it will work together for our good and propel us into our destiny.   How safe and secure is that feeling to be in the will of God. 

I was talking to a friend of mine the other day and we were talking about why people’s dreams don’t come true and how so much of the body of Christ is crippled by fear and complacency.  What would happen if right now we would dare to step out on faith and just do something even if it is a small step towards our dream? 

For me, I’ll share with you what I am doing.  I have always wanted to get my PHD in the Hebrew Bible.   I keep putting it off saying that it is not the right time and I just can’t fit another thing in my schedule  or I don’t have the money right now so I decided to stop making excuses and I have been searching online for a program here in Atlanta.   I learned that I have to be proficient in Hebrew and Greek before I can even get into the program, so I am starting with some night classes in those areas first. 

I am not worried about money or schedules; I’m just going to start pursuing it and see what God does.    Join me today and let’s start pursuing our dreams for God is really able to do way more than we believe him to do. 

God, we believe, yet help our unbelief.   In other words we know that God is able to do anything but help us to really embrace and believe that God will do it for us. 

Make a move today, and watch God change things!!!!!!!!   

Stay encouraged!!!!!!!!

 

God Bless!!!!!!!!!!

 

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Witness

15. October 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

Here is our text. 

Matthew 10:16 I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 ”Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 ”Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22 All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of

Israel before the Son of Man comes. The next few verses warn the disciples of the danger that they will encounter for preaching the gospel.  They will be unpopular among the officials, and the gospel is going to cause dissension in the home against brother, father, sister, mother, etc.  They are instructed to be as wise as servants and harmless as doves.  

Jesus assures them that though they will be hated for his sake that when they appear before the counsels they can be assured that the Holy Spirit will give them what they are to say in that day as a matter of fact He says that the Spirit of God will actually speak through them. 

I was at bible study last night and the Bishop was encouraging us to return to the mission of the church which is winning souls to Christ.  

He talked about how we have gotten so caught up in so many different things and how the message of Jesus seems to be getting lost.   Most of us are distracted with achieving our goals and what’s going on with us that winning people to Christ often does not become a part of our daily agenda.   

It is refreshing here to visit the mission that Jesus gave his disciples and to remind us that we are to win a world for Christ and that not only are we to literally testify with our mouth but we are also suppose to a walking epistle to be read of men. 

Think about it.  How many people have you brought to Christ within the last week, month or even year?   I think our answer may convict our very hearts. 

Jesus reminds us that the message of the gospel is going to be very unpopular and will cause division and tension but we all know that the rewards of finding Jesus and the change that it brings in our lives is so worth it. 

God Bless!!!!!!! 

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Sodom and Gomorrah

14. October 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

Here is our text. 

Matthew 10:13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. 15 I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.  

In case someone new is joining us today, the above text refers to the mission that Jesus gave the disciples when he sent them out.  Yesterday, we ended with talking about verses 13 and 14 which say should the disciples come across people that were willing to hear the gospel then they were to bless that home and for those who were unwilling to hear then “shake the dust off your feet.” Verse #15 is where I want to pick up today.  The text says that it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the Day of Judgment than for that town. One of the things that I have taught when studying the bible is the use of a hermeneutical (science of interpretation) device called historical context.  This device helps us identify people, places and things in history and then once we have that understanding, it helps us to properly understand their usage in the text. With that being said, today we are going to look up the history of Sodom and Gomorrah.   Jesus is making a comparison that on the Day of Judgment; those two cities will be a much more bearable site than the people who rejected hearing the gospel.  We first hear of the wickedness ofSodom in the following verse: 

Genesis 13:12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near

Sodom. 13 Now the men of

Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord. 

This is the story where Abraham and his nephew Lot separate because of the tension between their people. 

Lot is to choose whatever land he wants and Abraham will take the rest.  Lot chooses the

land of

Sodom because it is well watered only the people of that land are extremely wicked. The next time we hear of the wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah is in the 18^th chapter.  This is the story where God reveals to Abraham that he is going to destroy them and Abraham intercedes on their behalf.  Let’s look at the text. Genesis 18:20 Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous 21 that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.” 22 The men turned away and went toward

Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the Lord.

23 Then Abraham approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing–to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” 26 The Lord said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of

Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” 27 Then Abraham spoke up again: “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, 28 what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city because of five people?” “If I find forty-five there,” he said, “I will not destroy it.” 29 Once again he spoke to him, “What if only forty are found there?” He said, “For the sake of forty, I will not do it.” 30 Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?” He answered, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.” 31 Abraham said, “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?” He said, “For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it.” 32 Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?” He answered, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.” 33 When the Lord had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.The end of the story is that there are no righteous people found there and God does destroy it but allows Lot’s family to leave with the instructions of as they are being pulled out of the city they are to not look back.  We know

Lot’s wife looks back and she is turned into a pillar of salt. 

  The point that Jesus makes in using this analogy is that there was no one that preached the gospel to Sodom and Gomorrah so their testimony was not that they refused the gospel but that they were totally wicked.  In the story with the disciples, the people rejected the gospel and Jesus was saying that at judgment, it would be more bearable for Sodom and

Gomorrah than people that refused to hear the gospel. 

Okay, enough for today.  We will continue with the mission of the disciples on tomorrow.   

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Freely Recieved, Freely Give

13. October 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

Welcome back from the weekend. 

Our text for today is: 

Matthew 10: 5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of

Israel. 7 As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. 9 Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; 10 take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep. 11 ”Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave. 12 As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town.  

 

Last week we covered the first part of this text in giving you a brief history of the origin of the Samaritan and Jewish conflict.  Today, we will continue to discuss the mission of the disciples. 

We have already learned where they could not go, so let’s look at where they were instructed to go. 

Jesus tells them to go to the “lost sheep of

Israel” and he is clear about the message that they were to preach.  The message was that the kingdom of heaven is near.   We talked about earlier in our study of Matthew the theology of the “kingdom of heaven” also called the “

kingdom of

God.”   Sometimes it refers to God’s rule, reign, dominance, principles, ordinances, etc on earth and in other context it refers to the afterlife.   

What is fascinating in this text and I simply want you to make a mental note of it is this. They were given power to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, and drive out demons.   Later on in the gospel of Matthew, we will encounter a situation where they are no longer able to do this and the story is fascinating as to what happened.   Again, just make a mental note; we will discuss it in details when we get to the text. 

It is also interesting that the disciples are told here not to take anything on their journey.  Their needs would be supplied by the people in whom they would bless.  Jesus is clear that if people do not want to hear the gospel then leave that home and “shake the dust off their feet.”    We don’t have to pressure people in receiving the gospel.  If there hearts are ready they will receive it and if not they won’t.  It’s just that simple.   The bible teaches us that no man comes to Jesus unless the Father draws him.   When God touches their heart, they will be ready.  You may ask how do we know who to witness to and whose hearts have been touched?  We do just as he instructed the disciples, those who freely receive, we minister to and those who are hostile we move on and “shake the dust off our feet.”  The seed has been planted and we know that one person plants, another person waters and it is God who will give the increase. 

 

Here is another note, I want you to observe.  Here he tells them to take nothing for their journey, later on when he sends them out again, he will tell them to take provisions for their journey.   We will explore those fascinating circumstances later; I simply want to bring it to your attention for a future reference. 

The last point that I want to focus on here is the command that as they have been freely given to then they are to freely give.   

One of the greatest tragedies that I see on a daily basis among not just Christians but the average person in general is the lack of sharing knowledge or mentorship or passing information down.   We live in such a competitive world and everybody wants to hold on to what they know for whatever the reasons may be; whether intimidation, fear, etc.   

Yes, number #1, we are to freely share the gospel as it has been freely shared with us and number #2, don’t hoard your experiences and information, just as someone freely shared it with you to increase your life and make it better be just as generous with others.  It takes nothing away from you but opens you up for a bigger blessing for the laws of sowing and reaping are real. 

Stay encouraged!!!!!!!!

 

God Bless!!!!!!!!!!

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Samaritian Conclusion

10. October 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

Today, we will conclude our study on the Samaritans.  Let’s review. 

We started this study based on the fact that in Matthew the 10^th chapter, Jesus called his disciples together and told them not to go in the way of the Gentiles or the Samaritans. 

As you read the New Testament, you are going to constantly come across this feeling of hatred between the Jews and Samaritans which is why we took a journey through the Old Testament to give you the origin of that conflict. 

We know that one of the major controversies between the two groups is the location of worship.   The Samaritans claim that

Mount Gerizim (the place where Abraham offered Isaac) was the original holy place from the time of Joshua conquering the land and the Jews claim that the site at

Jerusalem is the true place of worship.   The Samaritans also have made claims that they are direct descendents of Ephraim and Manasseh which they argue survived the Assyrian invasion of 722B.C. 

The Samaritans become a hindrance to the Jewish people and even instigated major attempts to stop Nehemiah’s rebuilding of the walls.   

Okay, Monday, we will return to Matthew 10^th chapter and the study of the disciple’s mission.  Have a wonderful weekend.   

Stay encouraged!!!!!!!!

 

God Bless!!!!!!!!!!

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

Where is the true Place of Worship?

9. October 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

We continue our study with the Samaritans.  We ended yesterday with the Israeli priest being sent to

Samaria to instruct the immigrant population on how to worship the God of the land. 

The Samaritans who were now a mixed population had learned how to worship God.    Later in history, the Samaritans began to demand that the Jews allow them to share in the rebuilding of the temple and in the worship.  The Jews refuse and make claims that they are “half-breeds” meaning that they have intermarried and are not pure Jews and also claimed they were not children of “Abraham” but were imported into

Samaria and taught how to worship the Israeli God.   

The Samaritans eventually would take the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew bible) and change it to accommodate their belief system.  It has come to be known historically as the Samaritan Pentateuch.    The Samaritans would make the claim that the place where Jacob’s well was put should be the true place of worship and the Jews claimed that the temple in

Jerusalem is the true place of worship. 

In the New Testament story of the Samaritan woman who was at the well whom Jesus informed that she had five husbands and the one she was with was not her own realized that Jesus was a prophet.  Upon this realization, she asks Jesus can you settle the age old debate between the Samaritans and the Jews as to where the legitimate place of worship is.    

Here is that story: 

John 4:4 Now he had to go through

Samaria. 5 So he came to a town in

Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” 11 ”Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?” 13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” 16 He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” 17 ”I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. 18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” 19 ”Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in

Jerusalem.” 21 Jesus declared, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in

Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” 25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus declared, “I who speak to you am he.” (NIV) 

 

That is the short version of our Samaritan conflict.  From the Assyrian invasion all the way into the New Testament, the Samaritans and Jews are enemies.  The Samaritans claim they have a legitimate right to worship alongside the Jews and the Jews consider them to be illegitimate children.    The tension between them is so tense that the Jews would not even cross into Samaritan territory even if it was the shorter way to get to their destination.    The Jews considered the Samaritans unclean and sinful to be in their presence.   When you read the New Testament dealings with Samaritans now, you will find this information extremely helpful in your understanding of those stories.   

Okay, enough for today.  Tomorrow we will conclude our Samaritan issue. 

Stay encouraged!!!!!!!!

 

God Bless!!!!!!!!!!

 

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Lions—Oh My!!!

8. October 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

Today, we want to talk about the Samaritans.  In our text on yesterday, we learned that Jesus told his disciples to not go the way of the Gentiles or to the Samaritans.  According to the New Testament, the Jews have no dealing with the Samaritans.    

Let’s talk about this conflict today. Yesterday, when we did our Old Testament timeline, we saw that during the divided Kingdom period, the Assyrians came in and invaded the nation of Israel.   The nation is divided into Israel and Judah with Israel holding 10 tribes and

Judah holding two.    During this Assyrian invasion, they took over the capitol city which was Samaria and they shipped all the leaders out and they brought in the Assyrians.   The Samaritan city now becomes a mixed population.  Something interesting happened in the text.  The bible says that Lions started coming in and eating up the people.  

The Assyrians were nervous and wondered why this had not been a problem when the land was occupied by Israelites only.  The Assyrians came to the conclusion that it must be because they did not respect the God of the land nor understand how to worship HIM.   They sent back to Assyria and brought back an Israeli priest to teach them how to worship the God of Israel. 

This is some Fascinating stuff.  Here’s the biblical account.

II Kings 17:24 The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath and Sepharvaim and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took over Samaria and lived in its towns. 25 When they first lived there, they did not worship the Lord; so he sent lions among them and they killed some of the people. 26 It was reported to the king of Assyria: “The people you deported and resettled in the towns of

Samaria do not know what the god of that country requires. He has sent lions among them, which are killing them off, because the people do not know what he requires.”

27 Then the king of Assyria gave this order: “Have one of the priests you took captive from

Samaria go back to live there and teach the people what the god of the land requires.” 28 So one of the priests who had been exiled from Samaria came to live in

Bethel and taught them how to worship the Lord. 29 Nevertheless, each national group made its own gods in the several towns where they settled, and set them up in the shrines the people of

Samaria had made at the high places.

30 The men from Babylon made Succoth Benoth, the men from Cuthah made Nergal, and the men from Hamath made Ashima; 31 the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire as sacrifices to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.

32 They worshiped the Lord, but they also appointed all sorts of their own people to officiate for them as priests in the shrines at the high places. 33 They worshiped the Lord, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought.

34 To this day they persist in their former practices. They neither worship the Lord nor adhere to the decrees and ordinances, the laws and commands that the Lord gave the descendants of Jacob, whom he named

Israel. 35 When the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites, he commanded them: “Do not worship any other gods or bow down to them, serve them or sacrifice to them.36 But the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt with mighty power and outstretched arm, is the one you must worship. To him you shall bow down and to him offer sacrifices. 37 You must always be careful to keep the decrees and ordinances, the laws and commands he wrote for you. Do not worship other gods.

38 Do not forget the covenant I have made with you, and do not worship other gods. 39 Rather, worship the Lord your God; it is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.” 40 They would not listen, however, but persisted in their former practices. 41 Even while these people were worshiping the Lord, they were serving their idols. To this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their fathers did. 

 Okay, enough for today.  Tomorrow we will continue with our Samaritan issue. 

Stay encouraged!!!!!!!!

God Bless!!!!!!!!!!

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

Old Testament Timeline

7. October 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

Okay, let’s return to our study from the book of Matthew.   We ended on last week with taking a test on the disciples.    Today, we want to talk about the mission that Jesus gave the disciples. 

Here is our text. 

Matthew 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.  

As you can see the disciples were instructed not to go among the Samaritans. Today, I want to give you some history about the Samaritans.  All throughout the New Testament, you will notice that the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.  This history will be instrumental in understanding passages that we will be encountering as we continue our journey throughout the book of Matthew.  

The controversy actually begins in the Old Testament.     When I teach classes on the Old Testament, I always give a chronological time line which in 10 steps gives you the history of the Old Testament.  I will list it for you and it will help us with the study of the Samaritan issue.  

Period                                 Key Figures/Places

1.     Creation                                Adam, Eve

2.     Flood                                     Noah, Ark 

3.     Patriarchal                            Abraham, Isaac, Jacob 

4.     Wilderness Wandering      Moses, Aaron

5.     Judges/Conquest               13 Judges, Joshua 

6.     Monarchy                             Saul, David, Solomon 

7.     Divided Kingdom                Israel, Judah 

8.     One Kingdom                      Judah

9.     Exile                                      Babylon 10.  Restoration                        Cyrus, Nehemiah  

In summary, in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth along with the first man and woman then God destroys the earth through a flood and uses Noah to build an ark so that the nation would be repopulated through Noah and his sons and their wives.  God puts his promise in place through Abraham and is continued through Isaac and Jacob.  They are known as the Patriarchs.    The people of God end up in Egypt through Joseph when a severe famine hit Israel and the only place to find food was in Egypt.  Joseph moves his family there and generations later there arises a Pharaoh that knew not Joseph.   The new Pharaohs enslave the Hebrews because of their growth and were paranoid that the Hebrews might gather together and come against the empire.  

God raises up Moses to lead the people out of bondage and their exodus leads them to wander in the wilderness for 40 years.  After 40 years Moses dies and Joshua is raised up to lead the people into the promise land.  Once the people get to the promise land, they are governed by judges.  The people of Israel would sin and God would punish them by using an outside enemy in the land and the people would cry out to God for help and God would raise up a judge to deliver them out of the hand of the enemy.   This situation of sin, repentance, restoration went on through 13 judges.   

The Hebrews begin to cry out that they wanted to be ruled by kings as the other nations around them.  This takes us into the monarchy where Israel is ruled by first Saul, then David and finally Solomon.  After Solomon dies, the kingdom is turned over to his son Rehoboam.    His son angers the people and causes the people to rebel and there is a split in the kingdom.   Two tribes stay under Rehoboam and the other 10 tribes are ruled by a man named Jeroboam. 

The kingdom is now divided and the two nations Israel and Judah emerge. Samaria becomes the capital city of Israel and Jerusalem becomes the capital city of Judah.   The Israelites began to worship other Gods and God warns them through the prophets yet they refuse to obey.  God allows the Assyrians to come in and conquer the Israelites and they take people from the capital city of Samaria and they relocate them to other lands and create a mixed population in the city of Samaria which now leaves only one kingdom standing (Judah). 

Later Judah does the same thing as her sister country Israel and the Babylonians come in and take over Judah forcing them into Babylonia exile for 70 years.  At the close of the 70 years, God raises up a Persian ruler by the name of Cyrus and allows the Hebrews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their land resulting in the restoration period.  

The restoration period is the last period before we enter into the New Testament. This is the brief history of the Old Testament through the chronological line that I gave you above.    Memorizing it is a phenomenal way to learn the Old Testament history.   Should you decide to use it as a part of your study pattern, you will find that reading each book in the Old Testament will give you the complete details of those periods and will help you retain the information.    Okay, I did all of this in order that you will be able to understand the conflict with the Samaritans.  Tomorrow, we will get to that issue.  God Bless!!!!!!! 

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

Marvelous in Our Eyes

6. October 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

Okay, everyone I know I said that I would return to our study on Matthew today but I have to tell you what I experienced this weekend.   

I went to the grand opening of Tyler Perry Studios and it was phenomenal.  I can’t explain it.   It was unreal.      The emotions that I have I just can’t put it into words. 

It encouraged me to dream again and to dream bigger just from seeing what God has done for Mr. Perry. 

So today, I have been quoting this scripture all morning and it has blessed me and I want to share it with you. 

Psalms 118: 23 This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.  

 

Keep Dreaming.   Every situation is bringing you closer and closer to your destiny.   All experiences can be used for your growth and your success no matter how good or how bad, he’s just that kind of God.!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

Stay encouraged!!!!!!!!

 

God Bless!!!!!!!!!!

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »