Saul’s response to Samuel’s spirit

16. September 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:Today in our text, we will discover what Saul’s response is to what the the spirit of Samuel will say after he is brought up by the medium of Endor.Here is the story:I Samuel 28:20 Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, filled with fear because of Samuel’s words. His strength was gone, for he had eaten nothing all that day and night. 21 When the woman came to Saul and saw that he was greatly shaken, she said, “Look, your maidservant has obeyed you. I took my life in my hands and did what you told me to do. 22 Now please listen to your servant and let me give you some food so you may eat and have the strength to go on your way.” 23 He refused and said, “I will not eat.” But his men joined the woman in urging him, and he listened to them. He got up from the ground and sat on the couch. 24 The woman had a fattened calf at the house, which she butchered at once. She took some flour, kneaded it and baked bread without yeast. 25 Then she set it before Saul and his men, and they ate. That same night they got up and left. WOW!!!!   Our story today is simply Saul’s response to being told that his time is up.   Tomorrow in our text we will be studying the battle that ends the reign of Saul.  God Bless  and don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Samuel speaks from the grave

15. September 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

Today in our text, we will discover what the spirit of Samuel will say after he is brought up by the medium of Endor.

Here is the story:

I Samuel 28: 15 Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” “I am in great distress,” Saul said. “The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has turned away from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do.” 16 Samuel said, “Why do you consult me, now that the Lord has turned away from you and become your enemy? 17 The Lord has done what he predicted through me. The Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors–to David. 18 Because you did not obey the Lord or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the Lord has done this to you today. 19 The Lord will hand over both Israel and you to the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will also hand over the army of Israel to the Philistines.”

Though Saul consults Samuel to get direction, Samuel tells him that it was an absolute waste.  He goes on to tell Saul that what he is experiencing is what the Lord had predicted through him.   Saul is getting rid to come to the end of his life and lose his kingdom.  David’s time is finally at hand.   Samuel reminds Saul that God has torn the kingdom out of his hand and given it to David.   Samuel also reminds Saul that it is because of his disobedience especially concerning the Amalekites that all this is happening to him today.Samuel gives him the time frame as to when all this will take place.  God will do it on tomorrow (the next day) and Samuel says that Saul and his sons will be with him.  Not only is Israel going to lose the battle and be turned over to the Philistines but Saul and his sons will die in the battle.

Wow!!!!  How scary is that when you get a word that tells you that you have only one day left to live.  Can you imagine what is going on in the mind of Saul and what would be his actions on his last day on this earth?Tomorrow, we will continue our story….   How exciting!

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

The Witch of Endor

14. September 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

 

Hope everyone had a great weekend.  I want to congratulate my friend on his movie being number one in the theaters this weekend and him turning forty years old today.

 

Well, we are nearing the end of Saul’s reign.  Our stories on this week will describe the final days of Saul’s life and David’s rise to power.

 

Our chapter today opens up with Achish who is the king of the Philistines and one of Israel’s worst enemies making an alliance with David and establishing a trust with him.

 

Let’s look at the story:

 

I Samuel 28:1 In those days the Philistines gathered their forces to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, “You must understand that you and your men will accompany me in the army.” 2 David said, “Then you will see for yourself what your servant can do.” Achish replied, “Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.” 3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah. Saul had expelled the mediums and spiritists from the land. 4 The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem, while Saul gathered all the Israelites and set up camp at Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror filled his heart. 6 He inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets.

7 Saul then said to his attendants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her.” “There is one in Endor,” they said. 8 So Saul disguised himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. “Consult a spirit for me,” he said, “and bring up for me the one I name.” 9 But the woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done. He has cut off the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why have you set a trap for my life to bring about my death?” 10 Saul swore to her by the Lord, “As surely as the Lord lives, you will not be punished for this.” 11 Then the woman asked, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” “Bring up Samuel,” he said. 12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out at the top of her voice and said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!” 13 The king said to her, “Don’t be afraid. What do you see?” The woman said, “I see a spirit coming up out of the ground.” 14 ”What does he look like?” he asked. “An old man wearing a robe is coming up,” she said. Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.

 

 

As you can see in our text the Philistines and the Israelites are getting ready to go to war against each other.   When Saul saw the Philistine army, terror filled his hear and he inquired of the Lord but the Lord did not answer. 

 

Saul had recently expelled all the mediums and spiritualists from the land.  Saul was desperate so he asked his attendants to find a medium for him.   They found the witch of Endor and so Saul disguised himself and went to her by night. 

 

When your relationship with God is not right or we can not wait on God for an answer, sometimes  you are so desperate for a word oftentimes we find ourselves turning to psychics and spiritual mediums trying to find some direction and guidance or some sense of hope for a better day.   Some of these people are gifted but when it is not used for the glory of God then it is evil. 

 

Saul goes to this woman, and she immediately believes that is a trap seeing that Saul has cut off all of the mediums from the land.    Saul promises her that she will not be destroyed and asks her to bring up Samuel.  When Samuel appears from the spirit world then she screams.   This episode in the scriptures have caused a lot of theological debates concerning consulting dead spirits and was this really Samuel coming from the dead and once a person dies, can there spirit be called up again.   Well, let’s keep reading the text.   The bible says that once the medium realizes that is Samuel then she also realizes that it is Saul that is in her presence and she fears for her life. 

 

Saul tells the woman to tell him what she sees and she describes the spirit coming from the ground and how it looks like an old man and Saul knew that it was Samuel and he bows down and prostrates himself with his face to the ground.

 

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!   The spirit of Samuel coming up from the dead.   Tomorrow, we will see what happens when this spirit speaks.

 

 

God Bless you!!!!!!!!

 

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

I Can Do Bad All By MySelf

11. September 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

 

The next chapter of our story opens up with Achish the king of the philistines (which is an enemy to Israel) asking David to go to battle with him.   The story is quite interesting how David will manipulate this entire situation but since this is the end of the week, I thought I would start this whole scene on Monday.   We are getting closer to David becoming King.   I love these David stories; they are some of my favorites in the bible.

 

Well, today is the big today.   Tyler Perry’s “I can do bad all by myself” movie is in theaters today.     Look for me in the church scene.  I play one of Pastor Marvin Winans ministers. 

 

The movie is so good.  I’ve seen it twice already before it hit the theaters and I am going again tonight. 

 

Have a wonderful weekend and I’ll see you in the theaters.   To all my friends in other countries, I know you have to wait until it comes out on DVD (So sorry)  (lol).   Love ya

 

God Bless you!!!!!!!!

 

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

David’s Strategy

10. September 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

Our text today is as follows: 

I Samuel 27:8 Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites and the Amalekites. (From ancient times these peoples had lived in the land extending to Shur and

Egypt.) 9 Whenever David attacked an area, he did not leave a man or woman alive, but took sheep and cattle, donkeys and camels, and clothes. Then he returned to Achish. 10 When Achish asked, “Where did you go raiding today?” David would say, “Against the Negev of Judah” or “Against the Negev of Jerahmeel” or “Against the Negev of the Kenites.” 11 He did not leave a man or woman alive to be brought to

Gath, for he thought, “They might inform on us and say, ‘This is what David did.’” And such was his practice as long as he lived in Philistine territory. 12 Achish trusted David and said to himself, “He has become so odious to his people, the Israelites, that he will be my servant forever.”

 

In our text today, we discover David’s strategy for surviving in the enemy’s camp.   David would go out and actually defeat the enemies of

Israel and he would kill everyone not leaving any eyewitnesses to escape.    When questioned by King Achish, about where he had raided that day, he lied and said that it was in Israelite territory.   Achish built a trust for David and felt that he was a threat to his own people and considered him to be his servant because he thought he had turned on the armies of

Israel. 

Interesting story.   Well, as we continue our journey into the life of David and his rise to the monarchy we will discover how this relationship will play out.     

As you can see, we have been on the story of David for a while.  David went through a lot to get to his final destiny as king of

Israel.  What I love about David is his healthy respect for God and the man of God while he was going through. 

Even though we know through the psalms that David had questions and concerns about his plight, he always ended up with praise to his God.  He never abandoned his faith nor got mad at God for his circumstances as so many people do.   

I am amazed as to the amount of people who constantly tell me that they are mad at God because God allowed such and such to happen in their life.   Sometimes that seems so crazy to me because how can we be mad at the source of our help. 

Life happens.  It happens to all of us, the just and the unjust.   God is what gets us through it.   A true relationship with God is not one that we can turn on and off by getting mad at HIM when something doesn’t go our way.  We love God for who he is.  HE IS GOD!!!!    GOD KNOWS BEST.  HE SEES OUR FUTURE AND KNOWS WHAT IS BEST FOR US!    

 

God Bless you!!!!!!!! 

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Car trouble

9. September 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello Everyone:

I just wanted to write a quick note to let you know that I am okay.  SOme of you get really nervous when I don’t post and I so appreciate your concern.    I have been at the dealership all day.   My truck was doing some wierd things this morning so I stopped by the dealership to have them check it out and I ended up spending my entire day there with no internet access.

Just thought I’d let you know.  See on the web tomorrow.

Bernice

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

David’s New Home

8. September 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

 

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend here in the states.  I know I have friends in other countries where our Labor Day Holiday is not a holiday in your country.    I had a wonderful weekend.   I always love the weekends anyway because I love gathering together in the house of God with the people of God to worship, praise and listen to the word of God.   I went to hear one of my spiritual fathers (Bishop Paul S. Morton) preach and after church then a friend of mine and I went to another friend of ours house and hung out at his pool and just did nothing.  If felt so good.  It was like a mini-escape from life.  His home is so beautiful that it is easy to imagine that you’re somewhere vacationing.   That’s just how relaxing it was.     But I quickly came back to reality because on yesterday, my husband had us on a cleaning project where I got rid of clothes in my closet and shoes that I have not worn in years.  Some of them still had tags on them.   It was crazy because though I have not worn them in years and some I could not wear anymore, I had a hard time letting those clothes go.   It was the weirdest thing.   Now, that it’s over, I am so glad I did.  One of my employees at work has shoes for Africa project that she is involved in and I have plenty of shoes to donate to the cause.    Well enough about my weekend.

 

If you remember the last time we studied, David had a chance to kill Saul again but he spared his life.  Saul repents and blesses David and tells him that he knows that he will triumph in all that he does and they both go their separate ways.  But is it really the end of Saul hunting David.   Let’s continue our story and see how David feels about all of this.

 

Here is the text:

 

I Samuel 27:1 But David thought to himself, “One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul. The best thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up searching for me anywhere in Israel, and I will slip out of his hand.” 2 So David and the six hundred men with him left and went over to Achish son of Maoch king of Gath. 3 David and his men settled in Gath with Achish. Each man had his family with him, and David had his two wives: Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel, the widow of Nabal. 4 When Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him. 5 Then David said to Achish, “If I have found favor in your eyes, let a place be assigned to me in one of the country towns, that I may live there. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?” 6 So on that day Achish gave him Ziklag, and it has belonged to the kings of Judah ever since. 7 David lived in Philistine territory a year and four months.

 

As you can see from our text, David decides to find him a new home and he actually sets camp in the land of the enemy, the Philistines.   We know that the Philistines are long time enemies to the Israelites.  David settles in the land and finds favor with the King of the Philistines Achish and he assigns him one of their country towns which was called Ziklag.  Ziklag will now always belong to the kings of Judah.    This part of the story ends by telling us that David stays in Philistine territory a year and four months.

 

Stay encouraged!

 

God Bless!!!!!!!

 

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Saul Repents Again

4. September 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

In our text today, we will discover Saul’s response to David having spared his life a second time.  Here is the story: 

I Samuel 26:21 Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. Because you considered my life precious today, I will not try to harm you again. Surely I have acted like a fool and have erred greatly.” 22 ”Here is the king’s spear,” David answered. “Let one of your young men come over and get it. 23 The Lord rewards every man for his righteousness and faithfulness. The Lord delivered you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. 24 As surely as I valued your life today, so may the Lord value my life and deliver me from all trouble.” 25 Then Saul said to David, “May you be blessed, my son David; you will do great things and surely triumph.” So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.  

As you can see in our text, Saul is repenting again but we know that we have heard this before.    Saul acknowledges that David is more righteous than him and Saul actually blesses him and wishes him well in life and then Saul returns home. 

It will be fascinating to see how Saul and David’s next encounter will play out. 

Have a wonderful weekend.   Monday is a holiday for us in the

US so for my friends abroad, I will not be posting.  I know some of you worry when you don’t see me post so I just want you to know that all is well but I will be not be posting.  I am going to be spending just some quiet time with my husband. 

Everyone have a safe weekend. 

God Bless you!!!!!!!! 

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

David & Saul talk again

3. September 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

 

Our text today deals with what David will say the next morning to the men of Saul and to Saul after he has slipped in through the night and stole the spear and water jug that was at the head of Saul.  David had another opportunity to kill Saul yet he again chooses to allow Saul to live.  He could have instantly conquered his enemy and ended his nightmare of being on the run but David put it in God’s hand.  Let’s look at his response:

 

Here is our text:

 

I Samuel 26:13 Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the hill some distance away; there was a wide space between them. 14 He called out to the army and to Abner son of Ner, “Aren’t you going to answer me, Abner?” Abner replied, “Who are you who calls to the king?” 15 David said, “You’re a man, aren’t you? And who is like you in Israel? Why didn’t you guard your lord the king? Someone came to destroy your lord the king. 16 What you have done is not good. As surely as the Lord lives, you and your men deserve to die, because you did not guard your master, the Lord’s anointed. Look around you. Where are the king’s spear and water jug that were near his head?” 17 Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is that your voice, David my son?” David replied, “Yes it is, my lord the king.” 18 And he added, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done, and what wrong am I guilty of? 19 Now let my lord the king listen to his servant’s words. If the Lord has incited you against me, then may he accept an offering. If, however, men have done it, may they be cursed before the Lord! They have now driven me from my share in the Lord’s inheritance and have said, ‘Go, serve other gods.’ 20 Now do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the Lord. The king of Israel has come out to look for a flea–as one hunts a partridge in the mountains.”

 

As you can see in our text, the first thing that David does is rebuke the men that were suppose to be watching Saul.   He calls out to Abner who is the person in charge of the army and was Saul’s right hand.    While David is rebuking Abner, Saul hears his voice and says something quite interesting.  He calls David his son.  Saul has such a love/hate relationship with David.  He knows that deep in his heart that David means him no harm but Saul also knows that David has been appointed to take over the kingship and Saul does not want that to happen.

 

But, it is true….. What God has for you, it is for you and no one and nothing can stop the plan of God for your life.

 

David appeals to Saul again and tells him that he has done no wrong and if it is God that has him on this mission of destroying him then he will give an offering to the Lord but if it is men then may they be cursed because they have driven him from his homeland and his inheritance and have told him to go and serve other Gods.

 

Tomorrow, we will see what Saul’s response will be to David once again.

 

God Bless you!!!!!!!!

 

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Saul in the hands of David AGAIN

2. September 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

 

In our text today, we have the return of Saul chasing after David.  If you remember, in our last encounter between the two, David and Saul made a covenant that David would not cut off the house of Saul when God made him King.   Saul declared that David was more righteous than him because David had the chance to kill Saul when he went into the cave to relieve himself and David chose to spare the life of Saul.

 

Well, Saul is at it again. 

 

Let’s look at the text:

 

I Samuel 26:1 The Ziphites went to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding on the hill of Hakilah, which faces Jeshimon?” 2 So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph, with his three thousand chosen men of Israel, to search there for David. 3 Saul made his camp beside the road on the hill of Hakilah facing Jeshimon, but David stayed in the desert. When he saw that Saul had followed him there, 4 he sent out scouts and learned that Saul had definitely arrived. 5 Then David set out and went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw where Saul and Abner son of Ner, the commander of the army, had lain down. Saul was lying inside the camp, with the army encamped around him.

6 David then asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, “Who will go down into the camp with me to Saul?” “I’ll go with you,” said Abishai. 7 So David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there was Saul, lying asleep inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying around him. 8 Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of my spear; I won’t strike him twice.” 9 But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless? 10 As surely as the Lord lives,” he said, “the Lord himself will strike him; either his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. 11 But the Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, and let’s go.” 12 So David took the spear and water jug near Saul’s head, and they left. No one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up. They were all sleeping, because the Lord had put them into a deep sleep.

 

As you can see in our text, Saul is on the chase again and God Has delivered Saul in the hands of David for a second time and David again to refuses to kill Saul but this time David says something different.  David says that the Lord will strike Saul when the time comes and he will die or he will go out in battle and perish but it will be at the hand of God.

 

David honors the office that Saul holds even though Saul is using it to try to kill David.   David understands authority, the plan of God and God’s providence over his life.   If you notice when anyone else would do David wrong as in the recent case of Nabal, he would retaliate, but not with Saul.

 

You must also remember that David loves Saul and his son Jonathan and he has been a faithful servant to him and a brilliant warrior in the army of Israel.

 

Tomorrow, we’ll see what happens after David takes the spear and water jug from near Saul’s head and what he does with it.

 

God Bless you!!!!!!!!

 

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »