Happy New Year

31. December 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello  Everyone:

I hope all of you will be bringing in the New Year at the house of God worshipping and praising our God.   If circumstances do not permit then at midnight where ever you are just say a  quick prayer in acknowledgement to our God.

 I will not post again until Monday and we’ll continue with our study of the book of Matthew.  To my friends in Australia and other places that are ahead of us, you are already celebrating the New Year and I wish you the best.

It’s gonna be a great year.  I can’t wait to get into it.

Be Safe this holiday weekend..

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

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No more chasing Jackasses

30. December 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

You may have noticed that I have broken away from our Matthew study.  We will start it again in the new Year.  

I have been studying the history of the children of Israel moving from a theocratic (God ruled) state to the Monarchy (one man ruled).Under the Monarchy, Israel has three kings.  These kings are Saul, David, and Solomon.   I have been studying Saul’s call to the kingship and I have found it most encouraging especially for the New Year. 

Look at this text below:  I Samuel 9:18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer’s house is. 19 And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer: go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to day, and to morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart. 20 And as for thine asses that were lost three ^F45 days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father’s house? 21 And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so  to me? 

Let me briefly give you the context.  Saul’s father has sent him out to search for his asses (donkeys) that had been lost.  Saul takes a servant with him and begins their journey “chasing after jackasses”.  After a while, they cannot find them so the servant says that there is a prophet in the land and let’s go to him and he should be able to help us locate the asses.  Saul agrees that it is a good idea and they begin to inquire as to where the prophet or seer is.    What is fascinating about this text is that God had told Samuel the day prior that he would encounter Israel’s king on the day that Saul was seeking to find the seer.    When Samuel and Saul meet, he tells them that the asses that you have been chasing are fine and do not set your mind on them or don’t be concerned with them anymore.    Today, you have just encountered your destiny.  The hope of

Israel sets on your shoulder.   Saul immediately responds with how unworthy he thinks he is and how he is from the smallest of the tribes of

Israel and further more his family is the least of all the tribes of Benjamin.                                                                                                     

This story encourages me so.  Saul was sent out on a trivial task of finding some jackasses.   As a matter of fact, his father could have sent out some of the servants to do this task instead of his eldest son.  This may have spoke to how they felt about Saul or maybe he was considered insignificant for he clearly had low self esteem when he responded to Samuel about him being the first king.     It doesn’t matter what you have been doing, how people feel about us, how little or insignificant they think we are, God’s plan will prevail in our lives.  But check this out, the duties that we have been given no matter how demeaning they may be all takes us into our destiny.    If Saul had never been assigned to chasing after those asses he would never have met up with Samuel and encountered his destiny.  That’s why I always say that no experience is lost and all things work together for our good.    So in 2009, no more “chasing asses” I’m encountering destiny.    As Samuel told Saul, as for the asses that you seek, they have been found, do not set your mind on them anymore,  your purpose is here……. Be encouraged my friends, 2009, a year of fulfillment. 

God Bless!!!!!!! 

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

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Reserved For You

29. December 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

I have been studying this scripture and it has been such a blessing with me so I want to share it with you. 

I Samuel 9:22 “Then Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall and gave them a place at the head of those who were invited, who were about thirty men.

9:23 Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion that I gave you, concerning which I said to you, ‘Set it aside.’ ”

9:24 Then the cook took up the leg with what was on it and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, “Here is what has been reserved ! Set it before you and eat, because it has been kept for you until the appointed time, since I said I have invited the people .” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

 

 

The part that blessed me so is verse # 24.   

My prayer for you in 2009 is “that the Lord will manifest what has been reserved for you because you have reached your appointed time.” 

 

 

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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Merry Christmas

24. December 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello Everyone:

Have a Very Merry Christmas.    I’ll return to posting On Monday, December 29th 08.

Be Safe, Take Care and when you’re around family and friends, Share the Gospel of Jesus Christ this Holiday Season…

 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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Tradition of the Elders Part 2

23. December 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

Our text for today is:

Yesterday, we talked about the phase the “tradition of the elders.”  In our passage today, we will see two examples of those traditions.

 

Let’s look at the text.

 

Matthew 15: 1 Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 2 ”Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!” 3 Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ 5 But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,’ 6 he is not to ‘honor his father’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition

 

In our text today Jesus addresses two of those traditions; the washing of hands and the issue with honoring your mother and father.

 

As, you can see, they approach him and ask “why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?”  There was an oral law which required all Jews to wash their hands before eating lest you were labeled unclean.   

 

The second issue was one that Jesus brought to their attention.   Jesus addressed their tradition which said that if they gave a gift to the temple they could be excused from taking care of their mother and father.   Jesus rebuked them and told them that it was in direct contradiction with the “word of God.”

 

 

Okay,  I know that this is a holiday week, and many people are on vacation so I’ll just do a little each day so it  will not be too difficult for people to catch up.  We are about to study some fascinating history that will help you with your understanding of the New Testament and I want everyone  to be able to  stay up with it.

 

 

Stay encouraged and I’ll See you tomorrow.

 

 

God Bless.

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Tradition of the Elders

22. December 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

We are making progress, We are in the 15^th chapter. 

Our text today is the following: 

Matthew 15:1 Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from

Jerusalem and asked, 2 ”Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”  

Today, I want to discuss a phrase that is included in our text called the “tradition of the elders.”  As you read the New Testament, you will come across this term several times. 

The Pharisees had a list of unwritten codes, rituals, traditions, rules, etc that was known as the oral law which was not divinely inspired  but came from the reasoning of the Pharisees and thoughts of previous generations.    The Pharisees were passionate about keeping the purity of the law and in their efforts to obey God’s law they came up with a list of rules which became known as the “tradition of the elders.”  The idea was that the keeping of the oral tradition would prevent Jews from breaking God’s commands.   

Though the Pharisees had initially good intentions, Jesus called them hypocrites and criticized them for putting unnecessary yokes on the people that God never intended. 

 

Tomorrow, we will look at some of these “traditions of the elders” 

 

 

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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He’s Able

19. December 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello Everyone:

Since we just finished the 14th chapter of Matthew, I’ll wait until Monday to start a new study.   I just would like to share with you that today is my 16th year marriage anniversary.  

 This is such a major testimony for me because 16 years ago, I never thought that I could stay married to one man for the rest of my life.  

 BUT GOD!!!!!!!!!!  He really is able to keep you from falling and I love my husband today as if we had just met.   GOD IS ABLE.

Based on the lifestyle that the Lord brought me out of , I was afraid to commit for fear of a failed marriage but the word of God has kept me and I can honestly say that I have a wonderful marriage and a wonderful husband.  He is a daily reminder of how gracious and merciful the Lord has been to me.

 So my scripture that I want to leave with you today is:

Genesis 18:14 ”Is any thing too hard for the LORD?”

GOD IS ABLE……..    HE REALLY IS!!!!

Have a wonderful weekend!!!!!!

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

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Show Me Your Glory

18. December 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

Our text today is the last two verses of chapter 14.  It is short but I didn’t want to start another chapter so we’ll just view these lines today. 

Matthew 14: 34 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him 36 and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed.

New International Version

 

We know that from yesterday’s lesson that the “crossed over” refers to after the Jesus and Peter walking on water incident.   

This chapter ends with Jesus being recognized and people sent word to all the surrounding country and everyone brought their sick for him to heal. 

Since our lesson was short, let me share such a special moment with you.  I go to this chapel Monday-Friday at 6:00a.m. for prayer.  I’m the only one there so it is just the best little sanctuary in the world for me.  I take worship music with me and I have this Prayer photo album that contains pictures of people and things that I petitioned the Lord for or on their behalf. As I turn the pages, I call out their names and pray.    This morning, I was playing the new release by Bishop Paul S. Morton called “Cry your Last tear” and on the end of the CD, is a song about “show me your glory.”    I got so caught up in worship with that song that I just kept playing it over and over and when Bishop Morton sings the part where he says “Arise from your rest and be blessed by our praise”  I just broke,  I couldn’t take it.   So This morning, I asked the Lord to “show me his glory.”  Just tickle me with a sign of your presence.    

As soon as I walked out the building, there was a pond to my right that immediately filled up with a smoky cloud.   I know ….. Maybe it was fog.    But I sat there in my truck and watched the smoke cloud cover the pond and then as quickly as it came, it left.   It was glorious and just so beautiful to me.   I personally feel that the Lord graced me with his presence in such a special and simple way.    I couldn’t stop crying.   It was wonderful… 

  No……  I am so not crazy, just loving where God has me and what HE has done to my heart. 

 

 

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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Don’t be Afraid… It is I

17. December 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

I smiled when I read our text today.  It is such a familiar story in the life of the church and I’m sure we have all experienced it preached in some type of setting. Some of the more popular titles that I have heard preached from this text are; “Take the Limits off” , “No Limits,”  “Why did you Doubt,” “Walk on Water Faith,” “Keep your eyes on Jesus,”  “O Ye of Little Faith,”  and the list goes on and on.  If you haven’t figured it out yet, I am talking about the story of Peter walking on water.   

Let’s look at the context in which this “infamous” story took place.  Here is our text: 

Matthew 14:22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. 27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is

I. Don’t be afraid.” 28 ”Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29 ”Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” 32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

 

The “immediately” in our text picks up with after the feeding of the 5000 men plus women and children.   Jesus dismisses the crowd and then he goes into a mountain to pray.   Evidently Jesus stayed there for a long time in prayer for when he got up the boat was a considerable distance from land and the winds were pounding against it. 

The fourth watch of the night was anywhere between 3 and 6a.m.  Jesus simply got up and walked on the water to them.  I laugh every time I read this story.   Let me share something with you, I always laugh when God is ministering to me.  If you ever see me in a public setting and I’m listening to the word and you see me laughing, it is my way of saying that the word is ministering to me.  I think I picked this habit up from my spiritual father years ago.   I just laugh when God talks to me.  I don’t know why.   

Well, back to our story.   I laugh when I read this story because I think it was just so cool that Jesus would come out of prayer being empowered and refreshed as only prayer can do and then instead of summoning another boat to meet his disciples, he just starts walking on the water.   How amazing is our God. 

When the disciples see him, they immediately think that he is a ghost.  You must remember that the disciples are still trying to figure all this out for themselves.   Yes, they are walking with Jesus, and they have seen many miracles but Jesus continues to amaze them with his wisdom and miraculous abilities and they are still trying to figure out if this is the Christ, the long awaited Messiah. 

Jesus immediately tells them to take courage, it is I.  Wow, I’m smiling again.   I just heard God’s word speak to me and say “Take courage, it is I.”  In other words, he said, let fear go, it is I. You are safe.    

Then Peter says; Lord if it is you, then let me come to you.   Peter always has something to say.  I think if I was in the biblical days, I would have been a lot like Peter.   Jesus bids him to come and while many sermons have focused on the fact that he took his eyes off Jesus and began to sink, he ran the risk to go.   I love that part of the story.      

Think about it, do you know how much trust and faith it took to get out of that boat when the text says that the wind was already stirred up against it.  Peter walked out in troubled winds.   He didn’t get out and the winds stirred up and he got scared, he walked out in the midst of the winds.   Yes, he then looks at the winds but he had sense enough to say, Lord save me!!!!!!! Preachers should give Peter way more credit than they do.  That really was an amazing accomplishment.   So we have this lesson from Peter, all we have to do is keep our eyes on Jesus and we can get there but check this out, even if we take our eyes off, Please have enough humility and lower your pride to say; “Lord save me.”   Jesus will.   He is willing.   We may have to hear about our lack of faith or why did we doubt, but if we keep stepping out, we’ll get it right.    

There are no limits in God.  We are our worse enemy.  We place the limitations and we doubt, and we walk in fear.   But it is so in us to take that step out of the boat onto the water. 

What is it that you are struggling with today?    This economy is terrible, life happens, we’re losing jobs, marriages are in disarray, children are lost; singles are lonely and think that marriage will solve their problems, businesses are struggling, companies are closing and fear has gripped the land.   A friend of mine told me the other day that watching the news scares her because of the “doom and gloom of this economy.”    

My friends, this is a wonderful time to know Jesus.  This is a wonderful time to strengthen our faith and hold on to every promise no matter what is happening to or around us.   God will satisfy his people in the midst of famine.    

In the words of Jesus, O ye of little faith, wherefore did you doubt.    

The text closes with worship.   The text says that those who were in the boat worshipped; saying “truly, you are the Son of God.”     Worship, it works every time.  It helps remove doubt, fear, and unbelief.  Worship builds faith and strengthens you to accomplish whatever task is before you. 

So in the words of Jesus,   “Do not be afraid, It is I.”   Jesus is near.   

 

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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Two Fish & Five Loaves

16. December 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

Our text today tells us a familiar story.  It is the miracle of Jesus feeding the multitude with the two fish and 5 loaves of bread.  Here is the context of the story. 

The text: Matthew 14:13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” 16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” 17 ”We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. 18 ”Bring them here to me,” he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. 

 

The text opens with when Jesus heard what had happened.  This is in reference to having just heard that John the Baptist had been killed and his disciples had just buried him.   When Jesus heard of the news, he withdrew by boat privately into a solitary place.     The crowds followed him to this place and when evening came the disciples suggested to Jesus to send the crowds away so that they can go into the villages to buy food. 

Jesus had compassion on the multitude and refused to send them away but multiplied the five loaves of bread and two fish that were among them to feed everyone.   Though this story is always told and it is assumed that is only 5000.  If we read the text carefully, you will see that the number was substantially more than 5000.  The text says that it was about 5000 men and the count did not include the women and children.    It could have easily been anywhere from 10 to 20 thousand people.      

It is fascinating to know that this miracle came out of the context of Jesus going to a solitary place after he heard of the death of John the Baptist.   

As we continue to study the book of Matthew, you will find that there will come a time where the people will try to make Jesus a king and the text says it was because of his ability to feed and take care of the crowds and not because they recognized him as the Messiah.  This is one of the miracles of Jesus meeting the needs of the people that will help to form the basis for their desire for him to become their king. 

 

 

Stay encouraged!!! 

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

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