16. December 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello Everyone:

I have been on a worldwind the past week.  I just got back from New Orleans on Monday and I absolutely had no time at all to post while I was in New Orleans.  The home going for TP’s mom was phenomenal.  It was so precious.    When I got back, I had so much to do from not being at home for a week but I am now back on track.  Thank you so much for continuing to log into my website to check my daily postings.

Tomorrow, we will be returning to our story on the birth of Christ.

Thanks for your patience and understanding.  Bev in England and Tracy in Australia, you’re the best.  Love you

Bernice

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8. December 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello Everyone:

I am on my way to New Orleans.   My friend’s mom died just about an hour ago.    Please keep the Perry Family in your prayers.   I will not be posting for a couple of days until I get settled.  I’ll post from New Orleans when I get situated.

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

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7. December 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello Everyone:

Welcome back from the weekend.  Those of you that follow me daily know that I absolutely love my weekends.    I like everything about it.  I love being with the saints in the house in worship together.  I love winding down from a long week (I work on Saturdays at my dayspa) and I love my Saturday date night with my husband.   I  just love the weekend.  Actually, I love life.  I love everyday because they are each unique and filled with amazing opportunities to know God better and to be a recipient of HIS faithfulness.

Today we will begin our story of the birth of Christ.  I will be studying it from the Luke account.   Our lesson today will cover the birth narrative for John the Baptist, the one that prepares the way for Christ. 

Here is our text:

Luke 1: 5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord‘s commandments and regulations blamelessly. 7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years. 8 Once when Zechariah‘s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.

Most of you that follow me know that phrases like “in those days,” “in the time of”, “and it came to pass,” etc are loaded with historical context.  Today’s text opens up with letting us know that this particular even leading up to the birth of Jesus took place when Herod was king of Judea.  What does that mean?  A quick look into history will give us some insight as to what the times were like that John the Baptist and Jesus was born into.

Herod did much for his country on a material basis.  He had massive building projects that included building new walls around Jerusalem.   A severe earthquake in 31BCE destroyed many houses killing thousands of people and in Jerusalem, Herod built a new market, an amphitheater, a theater, a new building where the Sanhedrin could convene, a new royal palace and in 20BCE he started to rebuild the Temple. 

Unfortunately, there was a dark and cruel side to Herod’s character.  As he grew older, it became worst.  His mental instability was fueled by the deception that went on within his own family.  He had violent attacks of jealousy and had his own wife Mariamne killed along with his two sons, her brother, her grandfather, and her mother.   

He was paranoid about his reign which resulted in disinheriting and killing his first born.  You will remember that in the birth narrative  about Jesus when the wise men come to Herod looking for the king of the Jews, it was this Herod that ordered all infants 2 years and under to be killed.  Herod was afraid that his reign would be threatened if the birth of this “king” that the wise men were looking for would live.    This is the Herod that we now have during the birth of Jesus.   The scriptures call him a tyrant and he have become an evil and obsessive man. 

Okay, enough history, now that you know a little about the times in which Jesus would be born into, we will continue our story on tomorrow, by learning a little about the parents of John the Baptist and the circumstances of his miraculous birth.

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

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4. December 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello Everyone:

I want to end our temporary study of the monarchy with Absalom’s conspiracy to take away his father’s kingdom. 

Here is the story:

II Samuel 15: 1 In the course of time, Absalom provided himself with a chariot and horses and with fifty men to run ahead of him. 2 He would get up early and stand by the side of the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone came with a complaint to be placed before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out to him, “What town are you from?” He would answer, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.” 3 Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you.” 4 And Absalom would add, “If only I were appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that he gets justice.” 5 Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. 6 Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts of the men of Israel. 7 At the end of four years, Absalom said to the king, “Let me go to Hebron and fulfill a vow I made to the Lord. 8 While your servant was living at Geshur in Aram, I made this vow: ‘If the LORD takes me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the LORD in Hebron. ‘ ” 9 The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he went to Hebron. 10 Then Absalom sent secret messengers throughout the tribes of Israel to say, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpets, then say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron.‘ ” 11 Two hundred men from Jerusalem had accompanied Absalom. They had been invited as guests and went quite innocently, knowing nothing about the matter. 12 While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he also sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David‘s counselor, to come from Giloh, his hometown. And so the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom‘s following kept on increasing.

As you can see, Absalom strategy over time stole the hearts of the people.  He would get up early in the morning and tell everyone that came into the gates of the city if they were Israelites that their claims were just.  Absalom went on to say that if he was appointed judge he would have made sure they received justice. 

At the end of four years of doing this and stealing the hearts of the people from his father David, he makes his move and asks permission from his father to move to Hebron in pretense of fulfilling a vow he made to God and he ended up strategically strengthening his conspiracy to take over the king and he was increasing in power and strength.

Well, I think this is a perfect stopping place to end our discussion until the New Year.   On Monday, we will begin our study of the birth of Christ.  I love this story and each year, I learn new and exciting things about it. 

Have a wonderful weekend everyone and enjoy today and anticipate tomorrow.  Life is great and our God is good. 

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

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3. December 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello Everyone:

Today and tomorrow, we will find a stopping point for the story and life of our monarch kings.  On Monday, I want to begin a study on the birth of Christ to flow with the holiday season and we will pick up our study on the monarchy the first of the year.

On last week, we stopped with David agreeing to allow Joab (his army commander) to bring Absalom home.   Absalom fled after killing his stepbrother Amnon for the rape of his sister Dinah. 

In our last text, we actually read about his return to Jerusalem but David refused to see his face.   Our story picks up from there.

Here is our text:

II Samuel 14: 25 In all Israel there was not a man so highly praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the top of his head to the sole of his foot there was no blemish in him. 26 Whenever he cut the hair of his head–he used to cut his hair from time to time when it became too heavy for him–he would weigh it, and its weight was two hundred shekels by the royal standard. 27 Three sons and a daughter were born to Absalom. The daughter‘s name was Tamar, and she became a beautiful woman. 28 Absalom lived two years in Jerusalem without seeing the king‘s face. 29 Then Absalom sent for Joab in order to send him to the king, but Joab refused to come to him. So he sent a second time, but he refused to come. 30 Then he said to his servants, “Look, Joab‘s field is next to mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire.” So Absalom‘s servants set the field on fire. 31 Then Joab did go to Absalom‘s house and he said to him, “Why have your servants set my field on fire?” 32 Absalom said to Joab, “Look, I sent word to you and said, ‘Come here so I can send you to the king to ask, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there!” ‘ Now then, I want to see the king‘s face, and if I am guilty of anything, let him put me to death.” 33 So Joab went to the king and told him this. Then the king summoned Absalom, and he came in and bowed down with his face to the ground before the king. And the king kissed Absalom.

In our story today, we see that it is two years before David agreed to see his son after his return.  Absalom felt like he should have stay in exile for he was actually in exile in his own home because of David’s refusal to see it.  After burning Joab’s field to get his attention, Joab takes a message to David and Absalom was summoned to the king. 

The chapter ends with Absalom coming in to David and bowing at his feet and David responds with a kiss.

We will continue our story on tomorrow.

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

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1. December 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello Everyone:

I know I act like I am still on holiday because I did not post on yesterday and am just getting around to posting today.   I can’t even put into words what has happened to me over the last couple of days.

I have been overwhelmed with GOd’s blessings.   Last night I could not sleep and went to the chapel at the studio and spent the night.  I just wanted to lay in HIS presence.     It was the sweetest thing.  It was so funny how I was so restless and could not sleep at home but as soon as I got to the chapel, I put my gospel music on and I fell right asleep. (lol)

God is good and God is faithful, no matter how long it takes, God is so faithful.

I just want to leave you with this scripture today and tomorrow we will resume our study on the monarchy.   I probably will only do it on this week because next week I want to start the story of the birth of Jesus so that we can flow with this season and we will resume our study of the monarchy in the new Year.

Here is the scripture I want to leave you with:

Proverbs 10:22 “The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich , and he addeth no sorrow with it.”

ohhhhhhhhhh when you wait on God, the blessing that He brings maketh rich and comes with no Regrets.  I’m not looking back.  I’m moving forward.  God is so good.

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

Love you  so much for tuning in everyday.

Be Blessed

Bernice

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