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- 5. January 2009: Preparing for the New Year
- 31. December 2008: Happy New Year
- 30. December 2008: No more chasing Jackasses
- 29. December 2008: Reserved For You
- 24. December 2008: Merry Christmas
- 23. December 2008: Tradition of the Elders Part 2
- 22. December 2008: Tradition of the Elders
- 19. December 2008: He's Able
- 18. December 2008: Show Me Your Glory
- 17. December 2008: Don't be Afraid... It is I
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Archive for November 2008
Happy Thanksgiving
26. November 2008 by Bernice Davis.
Hello:
I know that most of us will be away from our computers for holidays so we will return to our study on Monday.
I would like to wish you all a happy thanksgiving and for all of my friends in other countries who do not observe the thanksgiving holiday, I would like to wish you well on this weekend also.
Enjoy your families and friends.
God Bless
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Mustard Seed Faith
25. November 2008 by Bernice Davis.
Good Morning:
Today, we return to our study on Matthew.
Our text for today is:
Matthew 13:31 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: 32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof
Today in our parable, Jesus gives us insight as to what the kingdom of heaven is like and he does it in parable form. This is a familiar passage of scripture that we have all heard many times having the faith of a mustard seed. Yet out of all the things that Jesus could have compared the
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Wheat & Tares
24. November 2008 by Bernice Davis.
Good Morning:
Today, we return to our study on Matthew. Our text for today is:
Matthew 13:24 “Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. 27 ”The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ 28 ”‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ 29 ”‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’
Today in our parable, Jesus gives us insight as to what the kingdom of heaven is like and he does it in parable form. Actually, later on that day, the disciples come and ask him to explain the parable to them and below is the explanation.
Matthew 13:36 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. 40 ”As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
It is clear in the interpretation that Jesus gives that the saved and the unsaved are to exist together in this world and God will do the separating at the end. Jesus goes on to say that when we try to fight against the unsaved or heretics of the faith then we could possibly be damaging the weed or a potential candidate for the kingdom of God because who knows when one will enter into the truth of the gospel. Look at us, our tomorrow does not always look like our today and people change so we have to be careful when trying to condemn and root up people that don’t think like us and believe like us. Jesus teaches to let the good and evil grow together and at the end of the world, God will separate the wheat from the tares. We stand up for truth, we witness and share our testimony but we don’t have to go on witch hunts to try to weed out the evil ones that we don’t think belong in the kingdom or are opponents of the faith. God will fight his cause and do the separation himself. So, let us all calm down and love our enemies, do good to those that despitefully use us and be a walking epistle to be read of this world. Stay encouraged!!!!
All is well, everything is safe, and everything is as it should be. Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.
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His Workmanship
21. November 2008 by Bernice Davis.
Good Morning:
Those of you that log in daily know that when a scripture really ministers to me then I break away from my study and share it with me. For the last couple of days, I have been quoting this scripture.
Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
The word workmanship comes from a Greek word which means fabric, product, to be molded and shaped. That is just so powerful to me. We are God’s fabric; to be cut, molded shaped, formed into a product; a masterpiece, special, unique, and individual.
The text continues with “unto good works.” We are God’s fabric being shaped unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
I hope that this ministers to you as it has been a source of healing, comfort, and joy these past couple of days.
We are his workmanship; his fabric. All we have to do is surrender to the work.
Have a Great Weekend!!
Stay encouraged!!!!
All is well, everything is safe, and everything is as it should be.Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.
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Understand
20. November 2008 by Bernice Davis.
Good Morning:
Today, we are discussing the interpretation that Jesus gave concerning the parable of the sower. It is a very popular parable in the life of the church but I’m asking you to read it carefully today and try to analyze where you are or see if you can identify yourself in it. I just finished reading it and it encouraged me so, I immediately shook off this “haunting” thought in the back of my head that was trying to bring worry on and I decided to hear the word, understand it and bring increase in my life. Read below and you’ll see what I mean.
Our text is:
Matthew 13:18 ”Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. 22 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. 23 But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
In this parable, you will see that what is key is people hearing the word and understanding it. UNDERSTANDING.
Let’s look at the first scenario. In this example, the person mentions matches the sower who scattered seed and some fell along the path and the birds came and ate it up. This is the person who hears the word and does not understand it and the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. A seed was planted in their heart but because there was no understanding as to what to do with it then the evil one snatched it and made it unfruitful.
The second scenario is the seed that fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil and sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow but when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. This is the person who receives God’s word with joy but because they have no foundation or not rooted in anything or haven’t made any commitment to the things of God, they only last for a while and when trouble or persecution comes because of the word they quickly fall away because they were never really committed.
The third scenario is the seed that fell among thorns and the thorns grew up and choked the plant. This is the person that hears the world but the worries of life and the deceitfulness of riches chokes the word and makes it unfruitful.
The last scenario is seed that is planted and fell on good soil where it produced a crop a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. This is the person that heard the word, and understands it and acts on it and gets an increase in their life of more than what they received.
This is just so refreshing and powerful to me. Understanding is key. If we really understand the word and how powerful it is and how effective it can be if implemented then we would experience phenomenal returns.
Stay encouraged!!!!
All is well, everything is safe, and everything is as it should be.
Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.
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Why Speak In Parables?
19. November 2008 by Bernice Davis.
Good Morning:
We are in the 13th chapter of Matthew (Yeah!!!!!)
Our text for today is:
Matthew 13: 1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop–a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.” 10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” 11 He replied, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 15 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ 16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
Today, we study a very popular parable in the life of the church. Also, in today’s lesson, we learn why Jesus spoke in parables.
The text teaches that Jesus speaks in parables so that the people who are not supposed to receive the knowledge of the kingdom will not be able to understand less they believe the gospel and be converted.
This statement along with others has raised a lot of controversy in church history. Most of the controversy stems over the Armenian and Calvinist view points. Calvinists believe that there are an elect people that God has chosen from the foundation of the world and those are the ones that will be saved. Armenians believe that because God knew which decision each person would make then God labeled the elect according to what He foresaw each person would do. For Calvinist, the decision is entirely up to God and for Armenians the decision is up to the individual.
It is an ongoing debate and the church is divided over it. Personally, I believe that the scriptures are clear as to which position we should embrace, however I will not engage in that debate at this time.
It is interesting as to why Jesus spoke in parables. Most people don’t really know, they think it was simply a story telling device of the day and Jesus was embracing it. Jesus was clear as to what his mission was and was strategic in accomplishing it.
Read over the parable today and tomorrow, we look at what Jesus says the interpretation is.
Stay encouraged!!!!
All is well, everything is safe, and everything is as it should be.
Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.
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True Family
18. November 2008 by Bernice Davis.
Hello:
Today we close out Matthew 12. We are making progress.
Here is our text.
Matthew 12:46 “While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. 47 Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” 48 He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
Today in our text, Jesus makes a bold and it can appear to be uncaring statement for his family. Let’s look at the text closer.
Jesus had just finished his discourse with the Pharisees concerning the demon possessed man that was healed, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (the unforgivable sin), the signs of the time, the testimonies of Jonah and the Queen of Sheba and then the issue with the demons returning to a house that is clean but unoccupied and comparing it to this wicked generation.
After he finishes, his mother and brothers have been standing outside waiting to see him and Jesus then makes the bold statement that his family are those who do the will of his Father and he points to his disciples as being his immediate family.
We know that Jesus was concerned for his family. When he was dying on the cross he entrusts the care of his mother to his beloved disciple John. Jesus was emphasizing that if family members do not share the same values that you have and same mission concerning the things of God then your spiritual family actually becomes more important. It does not mean that you neglect your family, the bible is clear that we should honor our father and our mother and that doesn’t mean with our lips but with our resources also. We are to take care of our parents.
We do not change or alter our belief system based on family influence. I know that personally in my life, I have 13 brothers and sisters and I am really close to only a couple of them and those are the ones who share my convictions and passion for God and work together in the ministry with me. I’m not saying that the others do not have strong convictions for God because some of them do but we do not work in the ministry together as I do with the siblings I mentioned above.
There are some people in my church family who I am way closer to than some of my brothers and sisters. Jesus is simply saying that family is people who are committed to carrying out the will of God. A lot of times we let pressure from our unsaved relatives including moms and dads cause us to do things which we know are compromising to the faith. We are not obligated to anyone who causes us to disobey or stray away from God’s word.
Stay encouraged!!!
God Bless!!!!!!! Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.
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An Empty House
17. November 2008 by Bernice Davis.
Good Morning:
We are still studying the same text from last week. Here it is again for your review.
Matthew 12:38 “Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you.” 39 He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of
Last week, we talked about the examples of Jonah and the Queen of Sheba. In each case Jesus was saying that on the Day of Judgment, their testimony would condemn this current generation because they repented at the preaching of Jonah and one is greater than Jonah is here (which was Jesus) and the Queen of Sheba came from afar to hear the wisdom of Solomon and one greater than Solomon is here. In summary, Jesus was saying that people of old made great sacrifices and repented from the preaching of men whose status does not even come close to that of Jesus. Jesus is now on the scene and his teachings are challenged, questioned, ignored and even at times considered blasphemous and people of old will be more tolerable on the day of judgment than the ones who actually experienced the true teachings of Jesus whether personally or through God’s word. Jesus closes this scenario with what happens when a demon is cast out of a person and that person doesn’t replace it with spiritual truths. The opening of this story started with the healing of the demon possessed man and now Jesus instructs that when demons are casts out they immediately look for another place to inhabit and when they find none they say to themselves that they will return to the house that they left and when they find that house clean and unoccupied, they take with them seven other demons more wicked than itself and the state of that man is worst than it was initially.
Jesus closes by using this analogy to show that this is how this wicked generation is. People are healed and delivered by the power of God and if they do not embrace the God of their healing then other spirits come in and the condition of that person is worst off than their beginning before they needed the healing/deliverance. Jesus closes with saying “this is how it will be with this wicked generation.” I know that I have emphasized this a million times, but here again, it shows the importance of having a word and a prayer life. We must stay rooted and grounded in God’s word so that we can recognize false doctrines and unclean spirits for in the last days, scriptures predict that many will fall away from the faith and go after seducing and strange doctrines. If we stay connected to God through a consistent word life and prayer life we will never fall into that trap.
Stay encouraged!!!! All is well, everything is safe, and everything is as it should be.
Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.
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The Queen of Sheba
14. November 2008 by Bernice Davis.
Good Morning:
We are still studying the same text from yesterday. Here it is again for your review.
Matthew 12:38 “Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you.” 39 He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here. 42 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here. 43 ”When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45 Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”
Yesterday, as we studied the text, the issue was that the Pharisees wanted Jesus to give them a miraculous sign and Jesus said none would be given except for the sign of Jonah. We looked at the story of Jonah on yesterday and saw exactly what Jesus was referring. Jesus also uses the story of Jonah to indicate that the Ninevehites (the people that Jonah preached to) at judgment would condemn this current generation because they repented at the preaching of Jonah and one is greater than Jonah is here (which was Jesus) and the current generation refused to repent. Our study today deals with the second example that he gives. It is the story of the Queen of Sheba and Solomon. Let’s look at the story from the Old Testament.
I Kings 10: 1 “When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relation to the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. 2 Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan–with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones–she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind. 3 Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. 4 When the queen of
This particular story shows the determination of a Queen who left her throne and literally risk her life by taking a journey all the way from Ethiopia to Israel carrying a phenomenal amount of wealth to present to Solomon all because she wanted to hear about the God of Solomon. Jesus uses this story to say that this Queen’s testimony of her making the sacrifice to travel to hear the wisdom of Solomon’s will condemn the current generation at judgment for one greater than Solomon is here (He was referring to himself). These stories clearly show us the sacrifices that people made to discover the truth and we have the truth today written in a book and most Christians fail to study it consistently to discover its phenomenal truths and the liberty that it can bring.
On Monday, we will put all of our research together and finish this passage.
Have a great weekend!!!
Stay encouraged.
All is well, everything is safe, and everything is as it should be.
Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.
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The Sign of Jonah
13. November 2008 by Bernice Davis.
Good Morning:
Our text for today is:
Matthew 12:38 “Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you.” 39 He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of
| Jonah 1:1 “The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 ”Go to the great city of |
| New International |
Tomorrow, our text makes a reference to the Queen of
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