King James Daily Bible Study Devotional
Message Title: The Light of God
Date: Saturday October 01, 2011
Chapters: Matthew 1-3, Proverbs 1, Psalm 107:1-23
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Hello My Friend/Guest,

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;..This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” - I John 1:,15-10.

People who live in sin have a hard time seeing the light that God shines upon all who receive His Son. But those who walk in the light of God, meaning those who let Jesus live in and through them, not only see the Light, but it shines through them upon others. We are no longer sinners walking in the darkness of our sins, we are sinners walking in the Light, cleansed through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ that is applied upon every one of us who believe in and receive Him as our Savior.

The Book of Matthew is the first book of the New Testament, the fortieth book of the Bible and it contains twenty-eight chapters. The author of the book is Matthew and it was written to all believers, although it was the first directed to the Jews to whom Jesus was presented as the Messiah, the Son of David. The timeline for these events took place approximately between 4BC and 33AD. The purpose of the book was to present the ministry of Jesus, stressing His role as King of the Jews. What we are to learn from the book is the Gospel of Christ and that it is to be preached in all the world until Jesus returns. “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” - Matthew 24:14.

The Book of Matthew opens with the genealogy of Judah in which Christ would descend. The genealogy of our Savior is important as it proves that our Lord Jesus is of the nation and family out of which the Messiah was to arise. It was promised to Abraham that Christ would descend from his lineage and also David's, unless we know Jesus as a son of David, and a son of Abraham, than no one would have known Him to be the promised Messiah.

“The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham...And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.” - Matthew 1:1,16-20.

Notice verse 16 states that “Jacob begat Joseph, the husband of Mary of whom was born Jesus ”, proving that Joseph was not the biological father of Jesus. Both Mary and Joseph were descendants of David, but it is important to understand that Mary was conceived of the Holy Ghost, meaning she was not touched by a man. If Joseph would have been the biological father of Jesus, he would have gotten the sin nature of Adam that is passed on to all of us when we are born. This would have made Jesus a sinner by nature and unable to die as the sinless substitute for our sins. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.” - Romans 5:12-14.

People who see the Light respond to it in one of two ways, they follow it until they reach it and remain in it or they seek to put it out at all costs. After Jesus was born, men from all nations flocked to Jerusalem to see the King of the Jews. However, Herod, the king, did not receive that title very warmly and sought Jesus to kill Him.

“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him...When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.” - Matthew 2:1-3,9-12.

This is the first of 21 unsuccessful attempts on the life of Jesus which mark the enmity of Satan and his desire to destroy Jesus before His appointed work could be done. However, when God has work to be done, no one, not even Satan can interfere. God will guide those who are appointed to find the Savior. Even if for a time the Light should be withdrawn, yet it will again appear and direct us in the way to the Redeemer. “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” - John 15:16.

Matthew, a Levi, was a publican, or tax collector under the Romans at Capernaum, before he became a disciple of Christ. The contents of this Gospel, and the evidence of ancient writers, show that it was written primarily for the use of the Jewish nation. He particularly selected such parts of our Savior's history and addresses issues that were best suited to awaken the Jewish nation to a sense of their sins, to teach them the spiritual nature and extent of the Gospel, and to prepare them for the admission of the Gentiles into the church. Matthew is an example of how the light of God can find it's way to the chiefest of sinners and shine through them as they allow Christ to live in them. “And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” - I Timothy 1:14-17.

Today's Prayer:
Dear God,
Lord, You have called us to be a chosen generation, a people set apart to show forth the light of Christ who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Since You have enlightened our darkness we will not conceal it in the privacy of our home or car, but we want to shine it forth wherever we are; in the marketplace, in the business place, in the neighborhood, in church and wherever we have opportunity to bring forth the Light in this world of darkness. We can show the world how wonderful it is to walk in the Light. Help us to witness faithfully through the Holy Spirit guiding us and let Jesus walk in and through us. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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