Fear and Trembling

5. October 2011 by Bernice Davis.

Grace and Peace be unto you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Hello Everyone:

 

Our memory verse for the week is:  Philippians 1:27” Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” 

 

Our text for today is:

 

Philippians 2:12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed–not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence–continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. 14 Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16 as you hold out the word of life–in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. 17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

 

Our text today is Paul admonishing us to live right.   Please read it carefully.  This word just ministered to me.

 

 

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Imitating Christ’s Humility

4. October 2011 by Bernice Davis.

Grace and Peace be unto you from God our father and from the Lord Jesus Christ: 

Our memory verse for the week is:  Philippians 1:27” Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” 

Our text for today contains one of the most powerful directives I think in Christ.   It teaches us to take on the humility of Christ that though he was God in the flesh and humbled himself and became obedient unto death.   I love these scriptures.  

Philippians 2:1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.   5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death– even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

To depart Or Not?

3. October 2011 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

Welcome back from the weekend.  The weather has turned really cool here in Atlanta and I spent an enjoyable day cuddling up on the couch under a big blanket enjoying my Sunday afternoon.  Those of you that know me know that I love the weekends.  I love gathering together with the saints in the house of the Lord, having a date night with my husband and just taking a deep breath.  

Our memory verse for the week is:  Philippians 1:27” Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.”

Our text for today is as follows:

Philippians 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me. 27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel 28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved–and that by God. 29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, 30 since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

In our text today, Paul has a dilemma.  He actually is ready to depart this world and to be with Christ.  Wow…    Paul truly was not caught up in this world.  His ties were clearly to kingdom business.  How many of us can really say that we are ready to depart and be with the Lord; that we desire to see him and fellowship with personally and enter into his rest through death.   Wow…  Paul’s dilemma was that though he desired to be with the Lord, he also knew that it was necessary that he remained in his body for the benefit of the church.  Paul knew that he still had work to be done on this earth to advance the kingdom and to help the saints grow and mature in the faith.

Paul admonishes the church that no matter what happens to him, they must commit to conduct themselves always in a manner that is worthy of the gospel of Christ. 

Paul closes this text out with a powerful statement.  He tells the church that not only has it been granted to them to believe on Christ but to also suffer for him.  We love the blessing part of the message but there is also the suffering part.  Suffering does not mean that we are losing battles or are defeated.  It is a major part in knowing Christ. 

 

Stay encouraged!!

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

 

 

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

For the Furtherance of the Gospel

29. September 2011 by Bernice Davis.

Grace and Peace be unto you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Hello Everyone:

 

Our memory verse for the week is as follows:

 

Philippians 3: 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended : but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

 

Our text for today is:

 

Philippians 1:12 Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly. 15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

 

If you recall from our study Paul is imprisoned at the time of this writing.  Can you imagine your pastor who you really love and trust and have been instrumental in your spiritual growth being imprisoned on a false charge?  Think about how your heart would ache for him.  Paul is letting the saints at Philippi who loves him dearly and he loves them know that what has happened to him is for the advancement of the gospel.  

He tells them that this present trouble will cause the gospel to be furthered.  He also indicates that already because of his chains, he has heard that brothers of the faith have come forward and are preaching the gospel with courage and without fear. 

 

While Paul is clear that some are taking the opportunity to preach Christ with an impure motive and to cause trouble for him while he is prison but his position is that the end result is that the gospel is being preached.   The gospel is going forward.  

 

Jesus is being preached and that keeps Paul encouraged. 

 

Think about what is happening in your life right now.   Could it be that whatever is happening to you is so that the gospel can be furthered?   Somebody is going to see Jesus in your situation.  Someone will know that Jesus is a healer.  Someone will know that Jesus can deliver.  Someone will experience the power and love of Christ through your situation.  It is not designed to kill you.  You are a part of something bigger than yourself.  It is so that the gospel can be furthered. 

 

What is this gospel?  It is the birth, life, death, burial, power and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.    Someone is going to experience the power of God through your situation.   God is in control.  HE is not trying to destroy you nor hurt you but your journey will not only take you into the place that God wants you to go in him but others will also be blessed by your experience.  It is so that the gospel can be furthered. 

 

Whooh…………  I’m tearing….  God I love you…

 

Be encouraged everyone…  God is in control…  He has not abandoned us.  Stay prayerful.  Stay in HIS face and worship before him and find comfort in reading HIS word.    Things do get better.  Seasons CHANGE..

 

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

He Who Begun a Work

28. September 2011 by Bernice Davis.

Grace and Peace be unto you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Hello Everyone:

 

Our memory verse for the week is as follows:

 

Philippians 3: 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended : but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

 

Our text for today is:

 

Philippians 1:6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ–to the glory and praise of God.  (NIV)

 

This text today has one of my favorite passages in it.  “Being confident of this very thing that he who begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Christ Jesus.”   Many scholars are divided on whether this verse is referring to ones predestination in Christ before the foundation of the world or whether it was encouraging the Philippian church  that the work of soul winning that they shared with Paul would go forth and be accomplished no matter what is happening.

 

Based on the context and the entire scheme of the bible, I am of the position to believe that it refers to our destiny in Christ before the foundation of the world.  I think it speaks to the fact that no matter how bad things get, whether the pain is self-induced or whether it is just a part of the process of life, this text encourages us that God will finish the work that he has started in us.  God’s grace and mercy will cover us and will work all things together for our good even though there may be major consequences for actions of sin, God will still complete the work that HE began in our lives.

 

This verse has always encouraged me because it is an example of the indescribable love of God.   God never gives up on us no matter how bad things get or no matter how rebellious we get.  A repentant heart will always get us back in the presence and in right standings with God.

 

Paul encourages the church that his prayer for them is that their love might abound more and more in knowledge and dept of insight.   Paul instructs us that the reason he prays for these two things is that they may be able to discern what is best and pure and blameless until the coming of Christ. 

 

Paul’s heart for this church is that they would grow in the word beyond surface knowledge so that it would transform their minds and heart to be able to make decisions for righteous living.

 

Please know that God has started a work in you.  It began at salvation and no matter what it looks like even with all our failures or successes, we are closer and closer each day in becoming all that God wants us to be.

 

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

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Prayer

27. September 2011 by Bernice Davis.

Grace and Peace be unto you from God our father and from the Lord Jesus Christ:

Our scripture memory verse for the week is:

Philippians 3: 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended : but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Today, we begin our study inside the book of Philippians.  Here is our text:

Philippians 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: 2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, 5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;

 

If you recall, Philippians is a letter written by Paul to the church at Philippi.   If you think about the letters that you write today, they normally have three major components; the greeting/intro; the body and the closing.   In our lesson today, we are looking at Paul’s introduction or greeting to the church. 

 

In this greeting, he identifies that the letter is coming from him though he mentions Timothy.  We know from reading the entirety of the letter that Paul is the sole author.   He identifies that the recipient of the letter is the church at Philippi but he also indicates that it is not just for the congregation but he also identifies the leadership at Philippi which he names as the Bishops and deacons.    Once he identifies who the sender and recipient is he then goes on to greet them with what has been established as the Christian greeting in the New Testament world; “Grace and Peace be unto you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.” 

 

Paul goes on to tell the church that he thanks God for them always as he prays.     I still believe in the power of prayer.  I have to be very careful when people ask me to pray for them and I commit to it.  Often times, we take it so light and casual that we don’t even remember to pray for the people that ask us.  What I have found that helps me is I have a prayer Photo album.   I request pictures or print them from the internet or write their names on a piece of paper and insert them in my album.  As I enter into my prayer time, I take the album with me and I turn the page and pray for everyone that is in it.  It helps me keep my commitment when someone asks me to pray.   I remember there was a time when people would request that I pray for them that I would instantly say something like “Lord Bless them, you know what they need” right after they said it (under my breath) so that I can say I honored my commitment.   I was quickly convicted by that method and instituted my prayer photo album as a remedy to that problem.  We need to pray for one another.  

 

So today, what I want you to take away from this lesson is prayer.   We have gotten away from spending time with God.   In my counseling of people, one of the basic questions that I ask first is how your prayer and word life is and most admit that it is basically non-existent.   My first step on helping them on their road to recovery in whatever situation they are going through is to tell them they have to commit to praying and meditating on God’s word.  So many times when the next counseling session comes around, I often find that they still didn’t take the time to find comfort, healing, strength, in prayer to our God.   Prayer is Power.  Prayer is strength.  Prayer keeps us victorious.  Prayer is the key to us living an abundant life in Christ yet it is rarely consistently practiced in the Christian home. 

 

Let’s start now.  Let’s pray.  Let’s get strong…  Let’s pray.  Let’s get victorious.  Let’s pray.  Let’s get healed.  Let’s pray.   PRAY…

 

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Review Answers

26. September 2011 by Bernice Davis.

Grace and Peace be unto you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Hello Everyone and Welcome Back from the weekend:

 

Our memory verse for the week is as follows:

 

Philippians 3: 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended : but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

 

The answers to Friday’s questions are as follows:

 

 

1.    What was Paul’s name before it was changed to Paul? Saul.

2.   Do the scriptures explain how Paul got his name change? No, we only see the change in the text.

3.   List at least two of the disciples that Paul partnered with? Barnabus, John Mark and Silas.

4.   What happened to make Paul convert to Christianity? The Lord Himself visited him on the road to Damascus and asked him why was he kicking against the pricks and he was converted.

5.   Was Paul ever blind? Yes temporarily.

6.   What is the most popular belief about how Paul died? He was killed during the Nero persecution. 

7.   What was Paul’s first miracle?  The impotent/crippled man at Lystra.

8.   What was the occasion for Paul to preach his first sermon?  They were in the synagogue and were asked to give words of encouragement.

9.   Paul was specifically called to minister to what group of people?  Gentiles

10.               What was Paul’s role when he was first introduced in the text? He was killing Christians on behalf of the Jewish faith. 

 

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Review Questions

23. September 2011 by Bernice Davis.

Grace and Peace be unto you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Hello Everyone:

 

Our memory verse for the week is as follows:

 

Philippians 3:10 “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.”

 

We are finished with our fact finding info about Paul.  So Monday, we are ready to begin the study of Philippians.  Today, I want to do review questions.  I know you thought I forgot.   Lol..

 

1.    What was Paul’s name before it was changed to Paul?

2.   Do the scriptures explain how Paul got his name change?

3.   List at least two of the disciples that Paul partnered with?

4.   What happened to make Paul convert to Christianity?

5.   Was Paul ever blind?

6.   What is the most popular belief about how Paul died?

7.   What was Paul’s first miracle?

8.   What was the occasion for Paul to preach his first sermon?

9.   Paul was specifically called to minister to what group of people?

10.               What was Paul’s role when he was first introduced in the text?

 

Have a great weekend everyone.  I’ll post the answers on Monday and will begin to get into the verses of Philippians.

 

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

What is said about Paul’s Death

22. September 2011 by Bernice Davis.

Grace and Peace be unto you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Hello Everyone:

 

Our memory verse for the week is as follows:

 

Philippians 3:10 “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.”

 

In today’s lesson, we will end with our last facts concerning Paul.  This reading simply deals with the information concerning his death.

 

Paul arrived in Jerusalem in 57 with a collection of money for the community there. Acts reports that he was warmly received. But Acts goes on to recount how he was interrogated by James for ‘teaching all the Jews living among the gentiles to forsake Moses, and that you tell them not to circumcise their children or observe the customs’.(Acts 21, 21) Paul underwent a purification ritual in order to give the Jews no grounds to bring accusations against him for not following their law. Paul however continued to preach against circumcision, Jewish dietary restrictions, and other requirements of the Torah. This made a final rift inevitable with the Jews.  Paul caused a stir when he appeared at the Temple, and he escaped being killed by the crowd by being taken into custody.  He was held as a prisoner for two years in Caesarea until a new governor reopened his case in 59. When accused of treason, he appealed to Caesar, claiming his right as a citizen of Rome to appear there before a proper court and to defend himself of the charges.

Acts recounts that on the way to Rome Paul was shipwrecked on “Melite” (Malta),^[Acts 28:1] where he was met by Publius^[Acts 28:7] and the islanders, who showed him “unusual kindness”.^[Acts 28:2] He arrived in Rome c 60 and spent two years under house arrest.^{[Acts 28:16]} All told, during his ministry the Apostle Paul spent roughly 5½ to 6 years as a prisoner or in prison.

Irenaeus of Lyons in the 2nd century believed that Peter and Paul had been the founders of the Church in Rome and had appointed Linus as succeeding bishop. Paul was not a bishop of Rome nor did he bring Christianity to Rome since there were already Christians in Rome when he arrived there (Acts 28:14-15). Also Paul wrote his letter to the church at Rome before he had visited Rome (Romans 1:1,7,11-13; 15:23-29). However, Paul would have played an important role in the life of the early church at Rome.

Neither the Bible nor other history says how or when Paul died. According to Christian tradition, Paul was beheaded in Rome during the reign of Nero around the mid-60s at Tre Fontane Abbey (English: Three Fountains Abbey).^[59] By comparison, tradition has Peter being crucified upside-down. Paul’s Roman citizenship accorded him the more merciful death by beheading.

In June 2009, Pope Benedict announced excavation results concerning the tomb of Paul at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls. The sarcophagus was not opened but was examined by means of a probe, which revealed pieces of incense, purple and blue linen, and small bone fragments. The bone was radiocarbon dated to the 1st or 2nd century. According to the Vatican, these findings were consistent with the traditional claim that the tomb is Paul’s. (taken from Wikipedia.)

 

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Near Death and Beginning of Ministry to Gentiles

21. September 2011 by Bernice Davis.

Grace and Peace be unto you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Hello Everyone:

 

Philippians 3:10 “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.”

 

In today’s lesson, we discover the first attempt to kill Paul through stoning and his destinations that he traveled which he states was the beginning of him opening the doors to the gentiles.

 

Here is our text:

 

Acts 14:19 And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead . 20 Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up , and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. 21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, 22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

 

23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed .

24 And after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. 25 And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia: 26 And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled . 27 And when they were come , and had gathered the church together , they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.  28 And there they abode long time with the disciples.  

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

 

 

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »