16. July 2010 by Bernice Davis.

Hello Everyone:

Last night of the conference and I feel a little sad.  I have had such a great time.  This has been a great group of women and they are so open and receptive to my style of ministry and I am also learning and growing by being in their presence.  The official end date is tomorrow, but I will done with my commitment tonight so after teaching, I’m gonna hit the pool one last time.  Yesterday, I spent 3 hours in their straight doing water aerobics and it was 113 degrees here.    Yep… a little over the top.  (lol) 

Today, I am posting the conclusion to Proverbs 3.  I know my posts have been a little short this week, but they will be better next week when I return home.  Thanks  for understanding.

Here is our text:

Proverbs 3:13 Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, 14 for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. 16 Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. 17 Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed. 19 By wisdom the LORD laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place; 20 by his knowledge the deeps were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew. 21 My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight; 22 they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. 23 Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble; 24 when you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. 25 Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, 26 for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared. 27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. 28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back later; I’ll give it tomorrow”– when you now have it with you. 29 Do not plot harm against your neighbor, who lives trustfully near you. 30 Do not accuse a man for no reason– when he has done you no harm. 31 Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways, 32 for the LORD detests a perverse man but takes the upright into his confidence. 33 The LORD’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous. 34 He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble. 35 The wise inherit honor, but fools he holds up to shame.

Have a great weekend everyone and I’ll be back in the Atlanta on Sunday.  Love getting away but there’s truly no place like home. 

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

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15. July 2010 by Bernice Davis.

Hello Everyone:

The conference is going great.  I’m having a great time.   In our proverbs today, it contains a very popular proverb:  Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to thy own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him and He shall direct your path.   Here is the context.

Proverbs 3: 1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, 2 for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity. 3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. 8 This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. 9 Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. 11 My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke, 12 because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. (NIV)

 On the run, gotta go.   Still in Palm Springs with the conference.

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

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14. July 2010 by Bernice Davis.

Hello Everyone:

So sorry that I did not post on Monday and Tuesday but Tuesday was a travel day for me and Monday, I was preparing to be gone all week so today is the first day that I am able to get to my laptop.   I am in Palm Springs California doing a women’s conference and I am so excited to be here.  Their theme is “All is Well” … Living a Satisfied Life which as many of you know that follow me is my Life’s philosophy..  for you will often hear me say, “All is well, Everything is Safe and Everything is just as it should be.”  Taken from the story of Elisha and the Shunamite Woman.  I am on a journey to live the best life I can live everyday and not stress over the things that I have no control of and change the things that I am in control of that are wrong or out of line and live each day to the fullest.   I can honestly say that I am enjoying the ride even though it comes with its bumps every now and then, I can honestly say that I am aggressively working on living each day in a content, peaceful and joyous mode and the shift has been  amazing.   I said all that to say is that this church’s theme is where I am in life and I am excited to explore the biblical topic with them this week.

Our text today has really blessed me.  I am loving this study of proverbs.   In only a few short days, I can feel the effect of it on me already.   I am looking forward to this journey.  I read today’s text over and over and it just awakened me.   The power of receiving wisdom; See for yourself, Here is our text:

Moral Benefits of Wisdom

1 My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, 2 turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, 3 and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, 4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, 5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. 7 He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, 8 for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. 9 Then you will understand what is right and just and fair–every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11 Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you. 12 Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse, 13 who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways, 14 who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil, 15 whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways. 16 It will save you also from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words, 17 who has left the partner of her youth and ignored the covenant she made before God. 18 For her house leads down to death and her paths to the spirits of the dead. 19 None who go to her return or attain the paths of life. 20 Thus you will walk in the ways of good men and keep to the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will live in the land, and the blameless will remain in it; 22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be torn from it.

I was blown away by the words of the proverbs that say that the Lord holds victory in store for the upright and is a shield for those who walk blameless.  Wow, the benefits in living for God and doing the right thing.   I was also touched by the part that if you seek after wisdom as if you’re hunting for a hidden treasure, never giving up then you’ll find it and the proverb says that you will understand the fear of God and find the knowledge of God.  That’s what I’m after, the knowledge of God.  Yes,,,   I am going to cry out, search, be persistent cause I’m going after the knowledge of God.  Whoooooooo……..  I’m excited…

Time to go, gotta study for tonight.  As I come across phrases in the text, I will give you the historical background of them in order that you can understand it in context.   Pray for me this week that I would be a blessing here.    I appreciate you so much for following me daily.  

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

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9. July 2010 by Bernice Davis.

Hello Everyone: 

Our text for today is as follows:

Proverbs 1: 8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. 9 They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck. 10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them. 11 If they say, “Come along with us; let’s lie in wait for someone’s blood, let’s waylay some harmless soul; 12 let’s swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; 13 we will get all sorts of valuable things and fill our houses with plunder; 14 throw in your lot with us, and we will share a common purse“– 15 my son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths; 16 for their feet rush into sin, they are swift to shed blood. 17 How useless to spread a net in full view of all the birds! 18 These men lie in wait for their own blood; they waylay only themselves! 19 Such is the end of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the lives of those who get it.

Our proverbial wisdom today talks about the danger of giving in to peer pressure.  We are warned that if someone promises you riches and wealth from illegal acts, the end result will be a life of destruction.   It teaches us that when we accumulate things from robbing from others eventually the consequences of our actions will catch up with us. 

In Hebrew a “garland of grace” refers to qualities that make a person pleasant and agreeable.  The metaphor compares the teachings that produce these qualities to an attractive wreath. 

In other words, when you listen to instruction from your father and mother you will learn things that will make you become a gracious, agreeable, pleasant and charming person.   The text uses synonymous parallelism to project the same idea with two different metaphors;  the garland to your head and a chain to adorn your neck.  These are accessories to make the body look more appealing and so the author uses these metaphors to express the importance of obedience to people who are wiser than you and who can teach through experience.  It is for your benefit and it will help you become a more “charming”person. 

Have a great weekend everybody and thanks to all my full gospel friends who shared the past three days with me in class.  You were a great class and I hope I have excited you even the more to study the scriptures systematically. 

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

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8. July 2010 by Bernice Davis.

Hello Everyone: 

As we read the proverbs, you must remember that proverbs are not necessarily promises or formulas, but rather generalizations of what is commonly true.  They are phrased in words that are skillfully crafted in order to stick in our minds and remember they come from the wisest man in the world whose wisdom comes from God. 

Proverbs is not the only place in the bible that proverbs exist.   Other books contain proverbial sayings.    Probably every culture has some type of proverbs.  Here a just a few in our culture.

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link
A good man is hard to find
A house divided against itself cannot stand
A leopard cannot change its spots
A penny saved is a penny earned
A person is known by the company he keeps
A picture paints a thousand words
A place for everything and everything in its place
A prophet is not recognized in his own land
A soft answer turneth away wrath
A woman’s place is in the home
A woman’s work is never done
Absence makes the heart grow fonder
Absolute power corrupts absolutely
Actions speak louder than words
All good things come to he who waits
All good things must come to an end
All that glisters is not gold
All’s well that ends well
An apple a day keeps the doctor away
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
As you make your bed, so you must lie upon it
As you sow so shall you reap
Ask a silly question and you’ll get a silly answer
Ask no questions and hear no lies
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
Beauty is only skin deep
Beggars should not be choosers
Behind every great man there’s a great woman
Better late than never
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool that to speak and remove all doubt
Birds of a feather flock together
Blood is thicker than water
Charity begins at home
Children should be seen and not heard
Cleanliness is next to godliness
Crime doesn’t pay
Don’t bite the hand that feeds you
Don’t burn your bridges behind you
Don’t cast your pearls before swine
Don’t count your chickens before they are hatched

“First things first.”
“A stitch in time saves nine.”
“Don’t cry over spilled milk.”
“Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.”
“Hind sight is better than foresight.”
“People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”
“Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.”

Okay, I think you get the picture…  (lol)

You will also find that some of our cultural proverbs has it’s origin in the word of God.

The Greek translation of the word “proverb” above is a transliteration of the Greek word for parable.  Several times the Septuagint actually chooses to render the Hebrew word for “proverb” with the Greek work for “parable.”  The proverbs are like parables in that they provoke people to thought and they create vivid mental images of truth. 

The words of chapter 1 of Proverbs are painfully true to life. They describe all too well the choices which put one on the wrong path. The choice to take the wrong path is made during one’s youth. A young man must decide whether to trust his parents and follow their instruction and discipline or to follow the foolish counsel of foolish and evil friends. Choosing one’s peers is often synonymous with choosing one’s path.

In the broadest of terms, we  will discover can that the Book of Proverbs sums up all of life in terms of just two “ways,” two paths – the “way of wisdom,” leading to life, and the “way of folly,” leading to death. Remember, in the first part on yesterday we were instructed that studying proverbs will help us achieve discipline and do what is just, right and fair which will lead to successful leading. 

Excited about the journey.  We will continue on tomorrow.

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

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7. July 2010 by Bernice Davis.

Hello Everyone: 

Today’s study begins with a new subject.   The book of Proverbs. 

While there are some debates as to who the author of this book is, most scholars agree that it is Solomon.   In the book of kings it states that Solomon wrote 3000 proverbs and 1000 songs.

Proverbs 1:1 opens with Solomon’s name in the heading. 

It reads:  The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel.   

The first seven verses gives us the intro and purpose for proverbial wisdom:

Here is our text:

1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: 2 for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; 3 for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair; 4 for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young– 5 let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance– 6 for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. 7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

As you can see from our text, proverbs are used for attaining wisdom and discipline.    Some how,  I have never noticed the discipline part .  Wow………..  It goes on to say that studying the proverbs will help you acquire a disciplined and prudent life and will help you to do what is right , just and fair.   Wow….. getting excited…. Somehow, I feel that at the end of this study, I am going to be much calmer, more disciplined and wiser.  I’m excited.     I’m not just saying that, I really think that where I am in my life that this is the right study for me.    I hope you will enjoy  the journey with me.

I have always loved verse #7.   The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.    To “begin to know” is to fear God first…..  

Looking forward to our new journey. 

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

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6. July 2010 by Bernice Davis.

Hello, Everyone:

I have decided to do the study on proverbs….    It should be quite interesting.  This is new territory for me as I have never done a complete study on the book of proverbs before.   Still on my little 4th of July holiday break…..  took a minute to let you know that I didn’t forget you today but I have been running all day trying to prepare for a class I am teaching on this week at the Full Gospel Baptist Church Convention here in Atlanta.    Will resume posting on tomorrow.

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

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2. July 2010 by Bernice Davis.

Hello Everyone: 

Our chapter ends with the death of Solomon.

Here is the text:

I Kings 11: 41 As for the other events of Solomon’s reign–all he did and the wisdom he displayed–are they not written in the book of the annals of Solomon? 42 Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. 43 Then he rested with his fathers and was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam his son succeeded him as king.

Our text today bears us bad news.  Solomon dies and the throne passes to his son Rehoboam.  We didn’t get to learn a lot of details about Solomon and to know more about him you would have to study the book of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes which will give you insight into his wisdom.

Well, everyone, we have finished our study of the monarchy.  If you recall, when we begin this journey, we started with the birth of Samuel and how Israel came to the point of wanting a king. 

We went through the life of King Saul, David, and Solomon which make up the monarch.  The monarchy is when Israel was one nation and under one rule;  monos meaning one and archy meaning rule or government.

The kingdom has now split… Rehoboam (Solomon’s son) will take over Judah and Benjamin and Jeroboam will be king of the other 10 tribes. 

I am seriously considering studying the proverbs…  the wisdom of Solomon as our next systematic study.  I will think about it over the weekend and let you know.

For all my American friends, have a wonderful 4^th of July holiday weekend.  I will not be posting on Monday as it is a holiday for us here in the states.  To all my international friends, have a safe weekend and I will see you in web land on Tuesday.. 

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

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1. July 2010 by Bernice Davis.

Hello Everyone: 

Here is our text for today:

I Kings 11:26 Also, Jeroboam son of Nebat rebelled against the king. He was one of Solomon’s officials, an Ephraimite from Zeredah, and his mother was a widow named Zeruah. 27 Here is the account of how he rebelled against the king: Solomon had built the supporting terraces and had filled in the gap in the wall of the city of David his father. 28 Now Jeroboam was a man of standing, and when Solomon saw how well the young man did his work, he put him in charge of the whole labor force of the house of Joseph. 29 About that time Jeroboam was going out of Jerusalem, and Ahijah the prophet of Shiloh met him on the way, wearing a new cloak. The two of them were alone out in the country, 30 and Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he was wearing and tore it into twelve pieces. 31 Then he said to Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces for yourself, for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘See, I am going to tear the kingdom out of Solomon’s hand and give you ten tribes. 32 But for the sake of my servant David and the city of Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, he will have one tribe. 33 I will do this because they have forsaken me and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Molech the god of the Ammonites, and have not walked in my ways, nor done what is right in my eyes, nor kept my statutes and laws as David, Solomon’s father, did. 34 ” ‘But I will not take the whole kingdom out of Solomon’s hand; I have made him ruler all the days of his life for the sake of David my servant, whom I chose and who observed my commands and statutes. 35 I will take the kingdom from his son’s hands and give you ten tribes. 36 I will give one tribe to his son so that David my servant may always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city where I chose to put my Name. 37 However, as for you, I will take you, and you will rule over all that your heart desires; you will be king over Israel. 38 If you do whatever I command you and walk in my ways and do what is right in my eyes by keeping my statutes and commands, as David my servant did, I will be with you. I will build you a dynasty as enduring as the one I built for David and will give Israel to you. 39 I will humble David’s descendants because of this, but not forever.’ ” 40 Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam fled to Egypt, to Shishak the king, and stayed there until Solomon’s death.

In our text today, we discover who the successor will be for Solomon concerning the other tribes of Israel.  If you recall on yesterday, God told Solomon that he would take the kingdom from him because of his idolatry.  In today’s text, Jeroboam is identified as the successor.   You will meet Rehoboam shortly who is Solomon’s son and he will inherit the tribe of Judah.

It is interesting to watch how Jeroboam’s destiny unfolds.  He was a loyal official in Solomon’s regime and Solomon elevated him to be over the labor force and eventually Jeroboam rebelled.  The text is not clear as to what the rebellion was but we do know that Solomon considered him to be a man of standing.  After Jeroboam gets his prophecy that he is to take over as king then Solomon tries to kill him but he escapes into Egypt. 

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

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