Greatest in the Kingdom

13. February 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

 

We are finally in another chapter.  Today, we start Matthew 18. 

Our text is as follows:

 

Matthew 18: 1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3 And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 ”And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. 6 But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

 The disciples came to Jesus and they wanted to know about rank and position.  They asked him who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  Jesus called a little child to him and had him stand among the disciples.   Jesus said something really profound.   He said that unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 

We can clearly see in our text that the fact that the disciples were even worrying about rank or position showed that they had not matured yet and they still didn’t understand.

 

Jesus went on to explain that whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  The concept is that greatness comes from humility and not pride.   Seeking recognition does not equate to greatness.    

 

Jesus then goes on to talk about the innocence of the little children.   Jesus said that if whoever welcomes a little child like this welcomes him but whoever causes them to sin would be better off if they had killed themselves.  

 

We can’t just do any and everything we want to people.  We are accountable for our actions.  God is concerned about his children; those who in innocence and in sincerity are trying to live to the best of their ability in their obedience and service to him.     God warns us against causing them to stumble.  

 

I use to be really hostile towards Christianity.   For a season in my life, I even attempted to destroy anyone claiming to be a Christian trying to trap and tempt them to be hypocritical to their faith. 

 

It is amazing that the religion that I sought to disprove, I now am committing to defend.     What a God we serve.  He really is amazing. 

 Be careful about the traps and temptations you set for God’s children.   We will have to answer to God for our actions and remember greatness is achieved through serving and humility. 

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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You Just Gotta trust Him

12. February 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

 

Today, I want to share this scripture with you before we begin a new chapter in Matthew.

 

It is from a subject that I taught on last night at a local church here.

 

Habakkuk 3:17 “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. 19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.”

 

The context of our story is about the prophet Habakkuk who desperately wanted to see revival in the land and wanted

Israel on their knees again with their hearts towards God. 

God had been silent and he had not heard from God for a season.  God finally answers but the answer did not include when

Israel would be delivered from the trouble she was in.  God simply told Habakkuk to “write the vision and make it plan upon tables so that he that reads it will run with it for the vision is for an appointed time.   God promised Habakkuk that he would not miss his appointment as to his promises on their lives.

 

God then encourages Habakkuk that he must simply trust him.  The scripture is Habakkuk 2:4…..  the just shall live by their faith.  In other words, no matter what is going on, we’re simply going to have to trust that God has everything under his control and that until he answers we have to rest in the fact that in silence, God is still working on our behalf.

 

Habakkuk then closes out his discourse with God with this prayer which is our scripture above.   The heart of the prayer is although things are not right.  Although everything is not as I want it to be.  Although things may look bad know, Yet, will I rejoice in the God of my salvation.  That word salvation means help.  The word rejoice there means to “leap.”   So whether you feel it or not, I will leap for joy.  I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise shall continually be in my mouth.    Habakkuk closes with the Lord is still my strength.  He makes me to go to high places.      

Stay encouraged!!!!!!!!!

 

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

 

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The Fishes’ Mouth

11. February 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

 

Our chapter today closes with the following verses.

 

Matthew 17:22 When they came together in

Galilee, he said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. 23 They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.” And the disciples were filled with grief.  24 After Jesus and his disciples arrived in

Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” 25 ”Yes, he does,” he replied. When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes–from their own sons or from others?” 26 ”From others,” Peter answered. “Then the sons are exempt,” Jesus said to him. 27 ”But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

 

In our text today, it simply shows us how Jesus was obedient even to the laws of the land though he really was not required.   The text opens up with Jesus discussing with his disciples that he would soon be betrayed into the hands of men.   He went on to say that not only would he be betrayed but that they would kill him.  Jesus also told them that it would only be a brief three day event because on that third day, he would rise again from the dead.   I’m not sure if the disciples heard the resurrection part or if just the fact of Jesus dieing was too overwhelming that they could not receive the good news of the resurrection, but the text says that they were filled with grief.

 

When Jesus and his disciples get to

Capernaum the tax collectors of the two-drachma tax came to the disciples to ask if Jesus paid the temple tax.  The drachma was an ancient form of currency which historians compare it to about 38US dollars.   So the temple tax was two-drachma or in our understanding equivalent to $78 US dollars.   To give you a perspective, in the ancient biblical world historians report that a skilled worker was paid one drachma a day and unskilled laborers would be paid ½ drachma a day.

 When Peter comes into the house, before he can even say anything, Jesus asks him his opinion.   He says Peter, what do you think?   From whom do the kings of the earth collect taxes from? Is it their own sons or from others?   Peter responds that it is from others.   Jesus says then the sons are exempt.    Jesus was obedient to the laws of the land and would not offend them and told Peter to go the fishes mouth and he will draw a 4 drachma coin which was enough to pay both his tax and Peters.

Jesus was a model citizen.  He obeyed the laws of the land as long as they did not cause him to go against God’s laws.   Being a good Christian is being a good citizen and following the laws of the land as long as they do not violate God’s laws.   Let me give you an example so people can be clear.   During the apostle’s lifetime, there was a season when they were beaten for preaching the gospel.  Had they obeyed the laws of the land then they could have spared themselves the beating.   They clearly said that they would rather obey God than men and they even considered it an honor to be beaten for the gospel’s sake.   It was against the law during that season to preach Jesus, but the disciples stayed true to what God had called them to do.

 

Stay encouraged!!!!!!!!!

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

 

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Believe and Pray

10. February 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Today, we want to finish our story about the man who brought his son to Jesus and the disciples could not cast the demon out.  I will be using the remote context which is found in Mark.  Remember, remote context simply means when the story that you are studying has another source.  Our Matthew text has a remote source in both Luke and Mark.  We will be looking at the Mark account. 

 

Here is the text:

 

 

Mark 9:25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up. 28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” 29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”

 

The story ended on yesterday when Jesus tells the man that if he can believe all things are possible.  The man responds by saying; “Lord, I believe but help thou my unbelief. 

 

Our text picks up today with Jesus rebuking the evil spirit out of the boy identifying it as a deaf and mute spirit.  Jesus tells the demon not only to come out but to never enter into him again.  The boy will never have to revisit this demon again.   Deliverance is complete.   Once the Lord delivers us from something, we never have to revisit it again.     The demon caused convulsions to come over the boy violently and came out.   The boy’s body was still as a corpse and the spectators even thought that the child was dead.  Jesus took the boy by his hand and lifted him to his feet.

 

Later on when Jesus went inside the disciples asked him privately as to why they could not cast out the demon.   Jesus responded that “Somebody should have prayed “or that this kind can come out only by prayer.   Earlier in the opening of this text, we remember that the disciples were arguing with the religious leaders as to why they could not cast out the demon.  Instead of fighting, instead of engaging in theological debates as to why things are not happening, Jesus said they should have been praying.  

 

Sometimes, we can spend so much time trying to figure out what’s wrong even resulting in hot tempered debates.   Prayer is the answer.   I believe Prayer changes things.  I believe God directs, guides, encourages and strengthens through prayer.   I believe God answers prayer.  I believe Prayer helps us to stay focused and helps us to believe and not doubt. 

 

Why could we not do it?  …………………   Somebody should have prayed.

 

Be encouraged today.    I listen to President Obama’s first press conference on yesterday and I watched as he stated that things were going to get worse before they get better and that he did not anticipate any significant changes on this year but results being seen in 2010.   Let’s pray and watch God change things.   God can heal this nation.    If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then shall we hear from heaven and God will heal the land.

 

Please know that God promises that his people would be satisfied in a famine.   Let’s pray and believe.   PRAY AND BELIEVE.

 

 

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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Believe Part III

9. February 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

 

We’re still studying our text from last Friday.  Here it is again for your review. 

 

Matthew 17:14 When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. 15 ”Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.” 17 ”O unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” 20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

 

We ended on last Friday talking about how when Jesus found out that the disciples could not cast out the demon that he called that generation faithless and perverse.  Today we want to pick up with what happens next.   If you have been following my daily devotionals then you are aware that I use a method of hermeneutics (science of interpretation) called the historical grammatical approach.   Inside this method, when you study the context, it is studied in its immediate, remote, and historical setting.  Today I want to use the remote source of this story to show you how it gives you more insight and details as to what is going on.   All that we mean by the remote context is simply when the story you are studying has been told or repeated in another source.   For this particular example, this story is told in Mark 9^th chapter and in Luke.   Let’s look at the account in Mark and you’ll see what I mean.

 

Mark 9:14 And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them. 15 And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him. 16 And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them ^F28? 17 And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; 18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth ^F29 him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not. 19 He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me. 20 And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. 21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. 22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. 23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. 24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

 

In Mark’s account, it gives us the details of the conversation with the Father.  Jesus asks him how long has his son been demon possessed and the father responds since childhood.  Jesus has just established longevity of time.   The father then pleads to Jesus to have compassion on them and help.  Jesus then responds with a famous and popular verse known in the church world.  It is “If thou can believe, all things are possible.”  The bible says that immediately the man burst into tears.  You can tell that Jesus has gotten to the root of the man’s problem which is his belief system.   Longevity of time and constant disappointment can cause unbelief.   The man takes his son to the disciples and the disciples cannot cast the demon out.  Jesus has given them power and they had been going about healing and casting out demons but all of a sudden when it is this man’s turn, the disciples had lost their power.

 

Have you ever just felt like why when it is your turn, or when it comes to you nothing seems to work out.  It seems that everything and everybody around you can prosper and get their blessing but you struggle over and over again.   This is the first encounter in our text where the disciples have lost their ability to cast out demons and it happens to this man.  By the time he gets to Jesus, his request is Lord, have compassion on us and if you can do anything, please help us. 

 The man responds to Jesus; “Lord, I believe, but help my unbelief.”  It almost seems like a contradiction.     Lord, I believe, that’s why I brought him to your disciples.  I believe, that’s why I keep coming to church, that’s why I keep reading the bible though it seems like nothing is changing, that’s why I keep praying though it seems like prayers just constantly go unanswered, Lord I believe, this is my son…..  I believe but I have been disappointed, time and time and time again so Please God …..  I believe but help my unbelief.  Help me God with these thoughts that say this time will be no different than the rest.  Help me with those thoughts that say this will be another disappointment.  Help me get rid of the “enemy that’s in my mind” that constantly keeps discouraging me.  Lord, I believe that’s why I’m still trying, that’s why I haven’t given up, but help my unbelief.  Help me overcome these negative thoughts. 

Have you ever experienced constant disappointment?  You know that God is able but for whatever reason, you’re just not sure that God will do it for you.  

 

You’re told it’s your season so much that know when you hear it, you wanna believe it but you’ve been disappointment by the past and what you thought should or should not have happened if it were your season.

 

Lord, help my unbelief.   The disciples were not the man’s problem.  Jesus will deal with his disciples later on.   The problem was the man’s belief system.    The issue is: will we believe God’s word.   All things are possible if we believe.  If we really believe then our conversation will change.  Our attitude will change.  Despite the circumstances, we will hold on to God’s word.  Our actions will reflect our beliefs for we know that faith without works is dead.  We would get up off that couch, start dreaming again.  Work towards our goals even if they are baby steps.  We would constantly push towards the promise and word that is on our life, if we really believe. 

 

Yes, I do understand that life and people and circumstances has a way of robbing us and beating us down and making us settle for the “status quo” but Lord, I believe again and I want something better.     Lord, I want all that your word says I can embrace in this life.  I WANT MORE!!!!!!!

 

Lord, I believe……….. but help thou my unbelief.     Nobody can hinder us but us.   The problem lies from within.   He can blame the disciples, but the issue is his beliefs.   All things are possible if you believe..    

 

Ohhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!   I BELIEVE AGAIN……

 Okay, tomorrow, we will end this story by looking at what Jesus says to his disciples when they ask him why they could not cast out the demon. 

 

Stay encouraged!!!!!!!!!

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

 

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Believe Part II

6. February 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

 

Our text for today is:

 

Matthew 17:14 When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. 15 ”Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.” 17 ”O unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” 20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

 

Our text today flows out of our last topic concerning the transfiguration of Jesus.   Jesus has taken Peter, James, and John with him to witness this marvelous event and afterwards they come back to the remaining disciples and a crowd has gathered.

 

The text says that a man approaches Jesus and kneels down and says; “Lord have mercy on my son.”  The child was demon possessed and the father had brought him to the disciples but they could not cast out the demons.  When this story is told in Mark, the bible says that when Jesus came to his disciples, they were actually quarrelling with the religious leaders.  Jesus asked the scribes why were they arguing with the disciples and it is when this man comes to him and tells him that he is the cause of the problem.

 

What is fascinating about this text is that if you remember in Matthew the 10^th chapter when Jesus called his disciples together he gave them power to cast out demons and heal all manner of sickness and diseases.   Now a few chapters later and the church has lost its power.    After a spectacular event (the transfiguration) Jesus comes back to a church that is experiencing defeat. 

 

When Jesus finds out that the disciples could not cast out the demon he calls that generation “faithless” and “perverse.”  The Strong’s Concordance gives the following definition for “perverse.” It means  (1) to distort, turn aside (2) to oppose, plot against the saving purposes and plans of God (3) to turn aside from the right path, to pervert, corrupt.

 

As you can see in our definition, Jesus attached the lack of faith and the moral character of that generation.   They had ceased to “BELIEVE” and ceased to be people of integrity concerning spiritual matters.   Holiness is right.   I understand that sanctification is a process and we have victories and failures in this walk but our mindset should be one of obtaining the holiness of God and it should be reflected in our lifestyle.  We should be growing and maturing.  We should constantly be getting the victory over our struggles.  Our lifestyle should reflect maturity.   The simple way to explain holiness is to “be different.”  Sometimes I think we make the word or concept of holiness too mystical.  It simply means to be different.  We are different from the world.  We live differently, we act differently, we treat people differently, we love differently, we live by the standards of the kingdom and it is dramatically different from this world’s system.   It is not bondage, it is freedom.   I have never been so free in my life, actually this world’s system is what was bondage for me.   Remember, Jesus came to set us free.  He who the son sets free is free indeed.  So to be set free means we were enslaved to this world’s system.    I AM FREE and it feels real good.  

 

When I first got saved, I wanted to give up so many times, because I felt like there were just too many rules for salvation and there was no way that I was going to keep them all.  Since (in my limited understanding and opinion) I thought that not being able to keep them would result in me going to hell then I felt like I may as well live anyway I want cause hell was sure to be my destiny.

 

I have since learned to not focus on the rules but focus on my relationship with God.   When you fall in love with God, the other stuff is easy because now your desire is to please HIM and to SERVE HIM and you don’t want to disappoint HIM and you want more of HIM so you gradually loose the desires of the world and you start craving the spiritual more and more until you long to be in his presence.  Sometimes I get sad when my day is so busy that I can’t sneak away just to hear a song about him or just to talk to him and tell him how my day is going.   YEP!!!!!!!!  I love him like that yall… 

 

The bible teaches us that it is the goodness of God that causes men to repent.    The word “repent” simply means to “change your mind.”   It is because he is just so GOOD… that I want to do right and change my mind to serve him totally.   What he has done to my heart, how he has put a love there that I never thought I could experience towards HIM and others, how he has been merciful, compassionate, forgiving, how he has favored me…. And the list goes on and on but most importantly the way HE makes me feel about myself and life and HIM.   It is truly amazing….

 

There is no easy solution.  There is no quick twelve step plan to fall in love with God.  It is simply through prayer, praise, worship and the word that I have learned to love him and to crave him.  I know…….. but I don’t understand the word, I fall asleep when I read it, It is boring…….  YEP!!!!!!!!  I did all of that too but keep picking it up and one day it really does become your source of strength, inspiration, and encouragement.   THE WORD WORKS!!!!!!!   It really does.    Just be faithful to trying to understand and hanging out in church where it is explained and attending Sunday school or any format that your church has available and God will honor your commitment.  Serve your church and your community, volunteer to make someone else’s life a little bit better and you will see the blessings that will flow in your own life because of it.  Once you stop focusing on what you don’t have and focus on what you do have which first and foremost is “GOD” then things turn around for you.  They really do because then you understand that you call do all things through Christ that strengthens you and with God all things are possible.  That’s all things, if you BELIEVE.   So the issue is to “BELIEVE.”

 

They that hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled.   Jesus promises us in this statement that he makes from the Sermon on the Mount that if the object of our thirst and hunger is righteousness then we shall be filled.  

 

Okay, have a great weekend, I’ll finish this story on Monday.  There is so much enclosed in this text that is really encouraging and I don’t want to rush through it.    Jesus goes on to deal with this man’s belief system and gets to the heart of the problem as to why he cannot believe. 

 

Stay encouraged!!!!!!!!!

 

Have a great weekend.

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

 

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Believe and Pray

4. February 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

Today, I just want to share with you from my heart.   Since October of last year, I have intensified both my prayer and word life.  I use to get up and just lay on my floor and pray and often times resulting in falling asleep..      Last October  I started going to this little small chapel at 6:00a.m. every morning.   I can’t explain it but there is something different about getting up every morning and actually going to meet God at a separate place outside of your home.   I have went to another dimension in my prayer life.  I feel so sensistive to everything that is around me and I feel  God moving in my life in ways that are just so precious to me. 

I have come to the conclusion that for me I just need to believe and pray.  The scriptures teach that all things are possible if you only believe.  All things.   Prayer helps you to believe.  It solidifies your faith.  It helps you to  grow stronger.  Prayer has a way of making you feel confident, bold and empowered.   I just wanted to share that with you today.

 I hear people ask all the time; “where are the miracles in the church.”  Why don’t we see them again.   What happened.   I believe prayer is the answer to this question.  Prayer makes you sensitive to God.   Prayer really does work and if we pray then we will act for we know that faith or believing without works is dead.

I just thought I would encourage someone today to pray and build a consistent prayer life.   I thought what I was doing before was good until I experienced what I am doing now and I am even excited about doing more. 

Ohhhh!!!!!!!!!!   I just love being in God’s face.

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

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Touched Hearts

3. February 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

 

Today, I want to break away from our study just for a day.  Those of you that follow my daily devotional know that when something that I have read in God’s word touches my heart then I stop and share it with you.   If you follow me daily then you know that one of my goals for this year is to do a study on the monarchy which is the life of Saul, David, and Solomon.  These were the first kings that served Israel as a united nation.  Later history reveals that the kingdom will be divided and will become the nation of Israel and the nation of Judah.   Saul, David, and Solomon were the monarchs that ruled when Israel was one nation. 

 

This text that I want to share with you is Samuel’s announcement to the people that this is the king that God has chosen for them.   Let’s look at the text.

 

I Samuel 10: 17 Samuel summoned the people of Israel to the Lord at Mizpah 18 and said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I brought Israel up out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the power of Egypt and all the kingdoms that oppressed you.’ 19 But you have now rejected your God, who saves you out of all your calamities and distresses. And you have said, ‘No, set a king over us.’ So now present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and clans.” 20 When Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. 21 Then he brought forward the tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan, and Matri’s clan was chosen. Finally Saul son of Kish was chosen. But when they looked for him, he was not to be found. 22 So they inquired further of the Lord, “Has the man come here yet?” And the Lord said, “Yes, he has hidden himself among the baggage.” 23 They ran and brought him out, and as he stood among the people he was a head taller than any of the others. 24 Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the man the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.” Then the people shouted, “Long live the king!” 25 Samuel explained to the people the regulations of the kingship. He wrote them down on a scroll and deposited it before the Lord. Then Samuel dismissed the people, each to his own home. 26 Saul also went to his home in Gibeah, accompanied by valiant men whose hearts God had touched. 27 But some troublemakers said, “How can this fellow save us?” They despised him and brought him no gifts. But Saul kept silent.

 

 

That last passage is what I want you to focus on.  The text says that Saul went to his home in Gibeah accompanied by valiant men whose hearts God had touched.    This scripture just blessed me this morning.   These men would be with Saul no matter what; through the good and bad times.   They stayed by Saul’s side not because of Saul but because of what God had done to their hearts.  

 

God has everything in control.   He even has prepared for us people who will be in our lives and will love us through the good and bad and will just stay faithful not because of us but because God has touched their hearts. 

 

I am feeling grateful for the people who I know that God has put in my life to just be there for me.  They want nothing from me at all except to help me accomplish what I believe God has for me in life and to support me whether I experience victory or defeat.

 

I also know that God has touched my heart and has assigned me to people who I am just there for and do not want anything from them.  My job has been to lift them up in prayer, intercede on their behalf, rejoice with them in their victories and believe God with them in their troubles and mentor them in the things of God’s word.    I have sometimes wanted to walk away from some situations because the burden has been too intense at times, but the Lord always causes me to stay right by their side.   As I was reading that passage today, I realized that God has touched my heart towards them just as he has touched people’s heart towards me.

 

Be encouraged everyone.   God has a plan for all of this whether you are experiencing the economic pressures of our economy or any other difficulty.  God has a plan all the way down to the people that are suppose to come in and out of our lives.

 

Ohhhh!!!!!!!!!!  I just love him.

 

I’ll see you tomorrow.

 

 

God Bless.

 

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

 

 

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John’s Response

2. February 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

Today we are dealing with John’s response as to if he was Elijah. 

Let’s look at the following text.

 John 1:19 Now this was John’s testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Christ.” 21 They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” 22 Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’” 24 Now some Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 ”I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” 28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.  

As you can see, John made no claims to be Elijah and he was right.   The Jews believed that Elijah would return personally and John made no claims that he was Elijah reincarnated.  

So how do we make sense of all this.  Jesus says that Elijah has come and that prophecy was fulfilled in John the Baptist.   Let’s look at the birth narrative of John the Baptist and it will help to clear up this issue.

Here is the text:

Luke 1: 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. 16 Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous–to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

As you can see from the text above, John was to come in the spirit and power of Elijah not necessarily that Elijah would reappear himself.   John fulfilled that calling and therefore was the fulfillment of the prophecies that Elijah must come first.  

What is the spirit and power of Elijah.  If you remember the story of Elijah, you will know that he was sent to call the people back to God.   He instructed them to make a decision.  Choose ye this day whether they will serve Baal or God.   His mission was to preach “return to God.” 

I Hope this helps clear up some of the issues that is associated with this subject.  Tomorrow, we will continue our study. 

 For those of you that are in the Atlanta area, you have asked me to inform you when I am preaching locally other than my normal 7:30 Sunday morning service that I do at Gospel Tabernacle.  I will be teaching this Wednesday, February 4, 2009 at Changing a Generation Church where Bishop Paul S. Morton is the Senior Pastor at 7:30p.m.      Hope to see you there if you can make it.  

Stay encouraged!!!!!!!!!

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

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