The Set Time

27. February 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello everyone:

We have finally finished another chapter.  We are in the 20th chapter of Matthew and since it is Friday then I thought I would just wait until Monday to begin a new lesson.  

 So many  people that email me and that I talk to are so discouraged.  The discouragement ranges anywhere from the economy to relationships.  They are as diverse as the people. 

 Let me say to us as Christians.   Our hope is in God and not in this economy.  If you sit in front of the TV and continiously watch the news it will terrify you of the doom and gloom that they are predicting.    We answer to another source and his name is Jesus.  Make no mistake today, our Lord has a plan.  

I have been doing some research in the bible concerning the economy of those days. I have read time and time again about devastasting famines that have been in the land that wiped out the economy of that day but God always made provisons for his people.   This is a great time to be in the body of Christ.  This is a time where circumstances and situations should strengthen our faith and not weaken it.   We are in the right place for miracles, restoration, and deliverance.  

Take some time this weekend for you.   If you can’t afford to do something then just walk, or hang out with someone that makes you laugh, or go to a public park, or just sit quiet before the Lord and take some “me” time.    

All is well, Everything is safe and everything is just as it should be.  

Have a wonderful weekend and I’ll see you in blog land on Monday.

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

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To Inherit Eternal Life

26. February 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

 

Today, we still are studying the subject of DIVORCE.  Let’s revisit the text.

 

Matthew 19:16 Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” 17 ”Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.” 18 ”Which ones?” the man inquired. Jesus replied, “‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’” 20 ”All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” 26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 27 Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” 28 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. (NIV)

Today’s study deals with a familiar story in the life of the church.  It is the story of the rich man that came to Jesus and wanted to know what he must do to inherit eternal life.    Jesus responds with; “if you want eternal life, then you must obey the commandments.”  The man wanted further clarity so he asked Jesus which commandments were he to keep.  When Jesus goes over the list of commandments, the man is excited for he states that he has kept these from his youth.  

 

Jesus then drops a bombshell on him.  He tells the man that even though he has kept the commandments, there is one thing that he lacks.   Jesus tells him to sell all that he has and give to the poor and he will have treasure in heaven and then come and follow him.  The man walks away sad for he had great possessions.   

Then Jesus says a very familiar quote in the life of the church.  He says that it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter heaven.  The disciples were astonished and asked him who then can be saved.   Now, to most of this when we read this text, we overlook this phrase.   It is obvious to us in our century to look at this text and now immediately why Jesus is saying that it is hard for rich people to go to heaven because many of them love their money and have made their money their God and that is where there heart is.  To the disciples, this was a puzzling issue.  

The Jews believed that wealth and possessions was a sign of favor from God.   This theology came from the passages in Deuteronomy where promised blessings upon those who loved God and obey and kept the commandments.   To the Jew then a rich Jew would indicate that God had favored them and there were a keeper of the law.  

 

Knowing, the above information, now let’s put the question in context.  The disciples are asking Jesus if this rich man who according to what they believed has become rich by way of God’s favor and he does not make it in then who can be saved.   We do know that their theology was off and this was not the case in this man’s life.   If God had blessed him based on his commitment to HIM and his obedience and love of God then this man would not have had a problem walking away from his wealth to follow Jesus and inherit eternal life. 

Please note that Jesus does not condemn a person because they are rich.  The problem lies when their money has become more important than God.   When your money becomes your God, the scriptures teach that you cannot serve both of them.  You will love one and despise the other.   Jesus then goes on to say that with man this is impossible but with God all things are possible.   If God is truly head of your life, we would be able to walk away from all and choose him.  With God in our lives, this is possible without him and going on our own strength it will be impossible to commit totally to God.  

The disciples then go on to questioned Jesus about the sacrifice that they have made to follow HIM.  Jesus says that any person who has given up possessions and family members to follow him will be rewarded hundred times in this life and will also inherit eternal life.   Our sacrifice will never be in vein.  The Lord promises to bless us!!!!!!!!!!!   Our motives must be pure though.   Everything is about the heart.    

Stay encouraged!!!!!!!!

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

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Should We Stay Single

25. February 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

 

Today, we still are studying the subject of DIVORCE.  Let’s revisit the text.

 

Matthew 19: 3 Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?” 4 ”Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” 7 ”Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?” 8 Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. 9 I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.” 10 The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.” 11 Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. 12 For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”

 

We want to pick up our study now with the disciples response to Jesus’ teachings on divorce.   The disciples come to Jesus and they say if this is the case between a husband and wife then it is better not to marry.    In other words, if you have to stay committed to one person for the rest of your life and don’t have the ability to get out of the relationship except for adultery then what they were saying is Jesus; “people are not going to do this.”    You have to also remember from our study that divorcing was common and the popular belief was that you could divorce for any reason.    The disciples were saying it is better to live a single life.

 

Jesus strongly rebuked their answer.  Marriage is of God and everyone can’t live a single life.   Jesus said that the only people that can live single are those have renounced marriage for the kingdom of God and then there are some who were made eunuchs by men and others were born that way.  Eunuchs are people that do not engage in sex at all.  Some are born with the genital areas underdeveloped or malformed and have no desire for sex which is what Jesus meant by some are born that way.    

The disciples were looking at the situation wrong, they were avoiding marriage for fear of life-long commitment and possibly being stuck with the wrong person instead of concentrating on finding and building a relationship based on God’s word.   A lot of things we say are based on our own abilities and strength and we just assume that we’re never going to be able to live out this life according to the scriptures.   We have to remember that God is in our lives now and God does help us.  His word strengthens us and enables us to choose right over wrong.

 

I remember when I first got married; I thought I would never be able to stay with one man for the rest of my life.   Based on my past and what I had been exposed to and the kind of life that I had lead, I just knew I would be the next “church scandal” (lol)  but God has a way of helping you if you want to be help.   On my wedding day, I was at the alter nervous and so scared that I would end up hurting this wonderful man that was before me.   I decided then and there that I would take a chance on God and trust that I could be the wife that the scriptures called for and it has been seventeen years now and I am still married to the same man and I can honestly say that I love him now more than the day we married.    

God is faithful.  It takes a lot of work, a lot of commitment but the key is my husband and I are committed to keeping our marriage together and treating each other as the scriptures command.  DIVORCE is not even an option for us only obeying God’s word is.     Please hear my heart here.  I am making no judgments on Christians who have divorced.   You cannot just make general accusations here because the situations are diverse and can be very complicated.   You also have to have both spouses committed to obeying God’s word.  So I know that relationships can be very complicated, I am simply giving you my testimony and my story and what My husband and I have committed to.   

 

 

 Jesus concludes this teaching by saying; “the one who can accept this teaching should accept it. “ 

 

Stay encouraged!!!!!!!!

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

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Hardness of Heart

24. February 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Today, we are still on the subject of divorce.

 

Here is the text:

 

Matthew 19:3 Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?” 4 ”Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” 7 ”Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?” 8 Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. 9 I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.

 

 

Yesterday, we talked about the reasons that Jesus gave for not getting a divorce.  After his response the Pharisees then asked why Moses allowed the people to get a divorce if it was never intended to be.

 

Jesus responded; “because of the hardness of your hearts.”  In other words, because people refused to obey God’s word.  The scripture is clear on what the relationship of a husband to wife should be.  We know that the husband is supposed to love the wife as Christ loved the church.   Let’s look at some examples of how Christ loves the church.

(1)     Christ died for the church.  He paid the ultimate sacrifice. 

(2)     Christ is an intercessor for  the church

(3)     Christ protects and provides

(4)     Christ gives vision, direction, and guidance

(5)     Christ loves unconditionally

(6)     Christ nurtures, builds up, encourages

 

 

 And the list goes on and on and on.   Wives are instructed to submit to their husbands.   Please tell me who would not submit to that.  If the husband loves the wife as Christ loves the church, I don’t think any woman would have a problem with submitting to that.     Then there are other scriptures which talk about that spouses are suppose to submit one to other so the submission is not just on the wife’s part.  

 

Now, because this was not happening concerning both the women and the men then Moses allowed divorce because of disobedience so that people would not have to suffer in relationships where they were being mistreated.   But the original plan from God is that God’s people would obey his word and we would treat each other and love each other according to God’s plan but sin caused divorce to be necessary.   I’m simply doing a short response to these issues because we have covered divorce in detail earlier last year when Matthew first addressed it.  Those lessons can be pulled up should you want further clarity.  Also there are free lessons on my website concerning this issue on divorce, marriage, and living single which are under the media section.

 

Tomorrow, we will deal with the disciple’s response to Jesus’ teaching on divorce.

 

Stay encouraged!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

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

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For This Cause

23. February 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

 

Today, we still are studying the subject of DIVORCE.  Let’s revisit  the text.

 

Matthew 19: 3 Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?” 4 ”Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” 7 ”Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?” 8 Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. 9 I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.” 10 The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.” 11 Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. 12 For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”

 We closed on Friday with Jesus’s response to the Pharisees in their attempt to trap him.  Today we will look at the reasons that Jesus indicates they were not to divorce. 

(1)   God created female for male so that man would not be alone.  Think about it if Adam had divorced Eve then there would be no world as we know it.   It would have been the end.  There were no other options for Adam to choose from.  God specifically formed Eve for Adam not until things didn’t work out any longer but till death do them part.   They had to make it work.  I know but we wait to say things are different now than the first two people in the garden.  While all that may be true, God’s word does not change.   (2)   The second part was prophetic because parents did not exist yet.  God tells them that for the sake of marriage, a man is to leave his home environment and cleave (be joined to, stuck to) his wife.  She becomes number one.  It is very problematic when the in-laws interfere with marriages and spouses make choices to side with or support their parents over their spouse.    (3)   Marriage makes the couple one-flesh.   It is the miracle of marriage.  The text says the two have become one.

(4)   What God has joined together let not man divorce.  Many will say when a marriage doesn’t work that they missed God.  This was not the right person for me and they often use that excuse to justify their actions.   It is the institution of marriage that the text is talking about.  God honors marriage. 

 

Jesus goes on to say that the one reason allowed for marriage is adultery.   Please note that I know that things are a little more complicated than this.  I know that spouses get beat and crazy stuff happens in marriage other than adultery and people need to separate.     

  

On tomorrow, we will deal with the Pharisees response to Jesus after he clearly tells them that according to God’s word, divorce is not allowed for any other reason except adultery.  

 

We will be getting into some of those complicated issues then.

 Let’s all congratulate Mr. Tyler Perry for being number 1 at the box-office this weekend with a stunning 41 million in gross receipts.      

Stay encouraged!!!!!!!!

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

 

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Haven’t You Read?

20. February 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

 

Today, we still are studying the subject of DIVORCE.  Let’s look at the text.

 

Matthew 19: 3 Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?” 4 ”Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” 7 ”Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?” 8 Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. 9 I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.” 10 The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.” 11 Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. 12 For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”

 

Today, we are looking at the response of Jesus.  Yesterday, we talked about the trap and now let’s examine his response.  Jesus says:  “Haven’t you read, that at the beginning the Creator made them male and female and said for this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh?  So they are no longer two, but one.”  Look at how brilliant Jesus is with avoiding their trap.   He says; “Haven’t you read” how perfect.    He puts the pressure on God.   Haven’t you read in God’s word?   He does not offer an opinion on the matter outside of God’s word.  How can they possibly argue with that?    Such a slap in the face.  These are the religious leaders, students of the law, interpreters of the word and Jesus is saying; Okay, is there a problem with you understanding what was written.   I Love it!!!!!!!!  How perfect….

 

Okay, the reasons Jesus gives for not divorcing is pretty lengthy so I want get into that today.  We’ll pick up this weekend.

 

Everyone have a wonderful weekend and don’t forget to go see Madea goes to Jail.     IT IS SO FUNNY!!!!!!!!  It’s just gonna make you laugh, and laugh and laugh.   Hey, they call my name out at the end of movie.  Listen for it.   (lol)…  FUNNY!!!!!!!! 

 

Stay encouraged!!!!!!!!

 

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

 

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The Trap

19. February 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

Today, we start the 19^th chapter of Matthew.  Our issue is DIVORCE.  Let’s look at the text.

Matthew 19:1 When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the

Jordan. 2 Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. 3 Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”

The first thing that we want to notice is that Jesus puts an end to his Galilean ministry.  Since the 4^th chapter of Matthew, he has been teaching and healing and doing wonderful miracles.  He has spent almost two years there and now he ends that part of his ministry and he now goes into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan headed to Jerusalem where his life would soon end.   There were large crowds that followed him there and included among them were the Pharisees.  They came to test him.   They attempted to trap Jesus.   But why is asking a question about divorce a trap?  Let’s explore this issue. 

The question they posed to Jesus is “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?  There were basically two schools of thought concerning divorce.   The trap was to see which side Jesus would line up with in an attempt to discredit or accuse him depending on his answer.

One school of thought was taught by the Rabbi Shammai and the other by the Rabbi Hillel.  They had strong opposing views and divorce was a major controversy between the Jewish people.  The school of Shammai taught that there was to be no divorce except for the cause of adultery.  The

school of

Hillel was the more liberal school and they taught that you could divorce your wife for any reason.  If you didn’t like the way she looked, If she burned your food, If she didn’t press your shirt right, for any reason you could obtain a divorce.  This was the more popular view and the Pharisees were major participants of this view and they constantly divorced their wives for any reason.   

 

They are hoping that Jesus would go against the popular view taught on divorce which would affect a large community that has already engaged in divorce and thereby lessen his popularity.  They were hoping that Jesus’ answer would be one that showed him to be hard-core and intolerant. 

Now, what is also interesting to note here is that Jesus is in the region where Herod Antipas is King.  Herod has already put John the Baptist in prison for his speaking against divorce because Herod was married to his brother’s (Philip) wife.  John would soon die for standing up for God’s laws on divorce.   If Jesus spoke out against it, news could get to Herod and possible Jesus would have been imprisoned and sentenced to death for that was the ultimate goal of the Pharisees to get Jesus killed. 

Well…Tomorrow, we’ll see how Jesus deals with this trap.

 Stay encouraged!!!!!!!!

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

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Forgiveness

18. February 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

 

Our text for today is as follows:

 

Matthew 18:21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. 23 ”Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. 26 ”The servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. 28 ”But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. 29 ”His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ 30 ”But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened. 32 ”Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. 35 ”This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”

 

Today’s text flows out of our lesson on yesterday.   After Jesus gives the steps for reconciliation, Peter asks him how many times we shall forgive our brother if he sins against you.  Peter says should it be seven times?  Jesus says not seven times but seventy-seven times.    The seventy-seven times was not intended that we should keep count of forgiveness and stop at the seventy-seventh time, but it is a reference actually to  unlimited times.  As many times as people sincerely come to you and ask for forgiveness for a wrong that they have done then we are to forgive them.   Please note this does no way imply that we are to let people make fools of us but if a person has wronged you and they sincerely come to you for forgiveness then we are to forgive. 

 

Jesus then uses a parable to express this concept of unlimited forgiveness.   He tells the story of a servant that owed his master a lot of money and he could not pay and the master ordered that his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.  The servant begged his master and his master had pity and forgave the debt.   This same servant went out and tried to collect a small amount of money from one of his debtors and refused to show him mercy but put him in prison until the debt was paid off.   The people were angry and went and told the master and he rebuked him and said he should have had the same compassion on the man as he rendered unto him and he tortured and jailed him until he could pay off the debt.

 Jesus goes on to say that this is the attitude that God will have towards us if we do not forgive.   If we don’t forgive then God will not forgive us.   I’m sorry; there is no cleaning this up or making it sound nicer, the bottom line is un-forgiveness towards your brother or sister results in not being forgiven by God.   

I don’t know about you but there is no one in this world that I want to hold on to not forgiving and risk not being forgiven by God.   Just as we are constantly approaching and needing forgiveness from God and God continues to forgive then we are to show that same compassion to people who seek forgiveness from us. 

 

I personally try to live in forgiveness.  If I offend someone, then I go to them to get it straight.  If someone offends me then I go to them and tell them I was offended so that there will not be a strain on the relationship and we can keep moving forward.    Sometimes it is a major struggle to drop your pride and tell someone you’re sorry and or to accept someone’s apology when they have really hurt you.   Un-Forgiveness carries with it too much power which is detrimental both spiritually and physically.  It’s just not worth it.

 Just stop and think today.  Is there someone in your life that has offended you?  You may feel that they need to come to you since it was them that did the wrong.   NO!!   The scriptures say that you are to go to them and show them their offense in hopes of reconciliation.      Have you offended someone and your pride just want let you say I’m sorry, please forgive me!      NOW is a great time as any to get it right.   The bible says that when we stand praying we are to forgive….   Our prayers are even hindered if we are harboring un-forgiveness in our heart. 

 

I told you that we would address the “binding” and “loosing” issue today.  Remember, this was written in the context of forgiving one another.   With that in mind, Jesus said whatsoever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever you loosed on earth will be loosed in heaven.   If you bind up forgiveness because you refuse to forgive others then you have bound it up from being released from heaven to you.  If you loose forgiveness to those on this earth then you have also freed it up in heaven that it can be loosed to you.

 So let’s just DO THE RIGHT THING!!!!!!! 

 Stay encouraged!!!!!!!!! 

 

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

 

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Reconciliation

17. February 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Today, Jesus deals with reconciliation.   This is a prominent theme throughout the gospels yet so difficult for us to practice on a daily basis. 

 

Here is the text:

 

 

Matthew 18: 15 ”If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. 18 ”I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 ”Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”

 

 

The text opens up with the offense being done towards you.  Jesus says if your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault.  There is a major point that I want to address.  The text says if your brother.  This text is dealing with reconciliation between two Christians.   As Christians, we are all supposed to follow the same guidelines which we find in God’s word. 

 

Another key point that I want to acknowledge is that according to the text you are not suppose to wait until that person comes to you but you are to go to them.  A lot of times we take the attitude that I wasn’t the one that did something wrong so they need to come and apologize to me.  Jesus says If your brother has sinned against you then you are to go and show him his fault just between the two of you.   The first step is to try and discuss and resolve the issue among yourselves.  If he listens to you then you have won him over.   If that person refuses to reconcile then Jesus goes on to say then you are to take one or two others along so that you will have witnesses.  Sometimes an issue can be so difficult that you need an outside non-biased party to help you resolve the issue.  

 

Jesus is quoting Deuteronomy 19 where it says that every matter must be established by two or three witnesses.   This is very difficult for us to do.  Most of us will never involve other Christians in our conflicts for resolution’s sake.  It is funny how we will gossip to other people about the situation and about the wrong but we want talk to them about helping us resolve the matter and repair and restore the relationship.

 

This may be a forgotten theme, but we are one body and the body is designed to stay connected and not divided.

 

The last resort is to take it to the church.   WOW!!!!!!!  Who is really going to take it that far?  When is the last time you heard about someone bringing an issue before the church to help resolve it.  WOW!!!!!!!!  Seems like such a foreign concept but it is biblical.   If we cannot resolve the issue amongst ourselves and with other people helping then we are to take it to the leaders of the church for counseling and reconciliation efforts. 

 

Jesus says if that person still does not want to forgive and reconcile then you do not have to put anymore effort into the matter.  Jesus says that are to be treated as a pagan or a tax collector.    A person that refuses to submit to the word of God and obey after several attempts of counseling should be left alone.    You do not have to constantly be in somebody’s face begging them to “get right” if they refuse the help.  

 

It is in this context that Jesus says that “whatsoever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatsoever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven and if we touch and agree on earth as anything you ask for it will be done for you by my father who is in heaven.  

 

Please let me address this.   This is not a “get whatever I want” from God formula.   The bible works as a whole and must be interpreted as a whole and not in isolation of other texts.   The bible clearly says that what we must ask must be the will of God.  The issue then becomes how do we know what the will of God is; That my friends come from a life of study and prayer.

 

We’ll continue our study on tomorrow and we’ll talk about the “binding and loosing” issue.     Let’s work on reconciliation, restoring and healing relationships.  It is the will of God that we be united. 

 

 

 

Stay encouraged!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

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

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The Importance of One

16. February 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

 

Our text for today is as follows:

 

Matthew 18:7″Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell. 10 ”See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. 12 ”What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13 And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.

 

Today’s text flows out of our lesson on Friday.  Jesus talks about the seriousness of sin.   Sometimes, our attitude towards sin is just too casual.   Jesus uses a hyperbole to show how serious the effects of sin are.   The bible is loaded with different types of literature.   Some are narrative; others are parables, figurative language, songs, poetry, etc.   A critical part in studying the bible is to be able to identify when the text is to be taken literal and when figurative language is being used.  The above text is clearly an example of figurative language.  It is clear that Jesus is not telling us to physically cut off our feet, hands, and eyes when we sin.    He is using the examples to state how serious sin is.   If we cut off body parts each time we sin then we would be left with nothing. 

 

People don’t like hearing this or dealing with the sin issue but there is a destiny for our souls and it is either heaven or hell.   If we have given our lives over to God then we should have a desire to live “holy.”   I have explained that word holy before, it simply means to be different.    We are different.  We act different, we talk different, and we simply live different.  We are governed by the

kingdom of

God where we can find the directions and guidelines for kingdom living in the bible.  

 

I am on a mission to teach people the bible.   It is what I crave.   I believe that there are too many false perceptions that exist about the bible.  It’s too hard to figure out, it’s boring, you must have a formal education to understand it and the list goes on and on and on.        While I have expressed some of the same sentiments in the past, I have found out that God has put gifts in the body to help us understand his word and in the technological age that we live in, there is really no excuse.  There are so many free resources that are available to help us in our studies.    Personally, when it comes to the bible, I think the average Christian is just lazy and we depend on what we get from the preacher once or twice a week to sustain us.     We all must have our own personal study life outside of what we get at church. 

 

Today’s lesson also shows the importance of one.   I love this scripture.   It talks about the shepherd who has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders off.  The shepherd leaves the ninety nine on the hill side grazing and goes after the one that has wandered off.   EVERYBODY IS IMPORTANT!!!!!      When the shepherd finds the one, he is happier about the one than the ninety nine that were safe.    The ninety nine did not need help.  They were not in trouble.   Sometimes we throw people away because they are in trouble and it’s too much trouble or too much of an inconvenience to help them.    I’m not talking about being taken advantage of because sometimes people do take advantage of our good nature but I’m talking about people who genuinely are lost or have strayed away and just need someone to go “look for them.”  

 

I was teaching yesterday on the disciples that walked with Jesus and I was reviewing the life of Peter.   I came across the text where Jesus is telling Peter that before the cock crow thrice, he would betray him and of course Peter denies it. 

 

Jesus then says:  Simon, Simon, Satan desires to sift you as pure wheat but I have prayed for you that your faith fail not and when you are converted strengthened your brethren.  

 

Jesus could have chosen any name for Peter, for Peter was also called Cephas.   Jesus chose to use the name Simon.  Simon means hearing or faith.    If I replace it with the meaning it reads:  Faith, Faith, satan desires to sift you as pure wheat.   That text is so powerful to me.   Satan is after our belief system.   If he can get us to not believe then he can seriously hinder us.  For all things are possible if we believe.    Then he goes on to say that he has prayed that his FAITH fail not.   How powerful.  What does it really mean that Jesus has prayed for us.   Oh!!!!!!!!

 

The last part of the text says and when you are converted.   When you get it together, strengthened your brethren.That was the point, I was trying to make about the shepherd going after the lost one and Jesus talking about how precious one soul is in the kingdom.   Everybody matters and once we get converted then it is our job to help strengthen someone else.Living holy is real.  It is necessary and it is required living for Christian.    

 Stay encouraged!!!!!!!!! 

Have a wonderful weekend.   See you on Monday. 

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

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