Tag: The Words of Jesus (according to the Gospel of Matthew)
Jesus triumphed over temptation!
Day 11
Title: Jesus triumphed over temptation!
Reading: Matthew 4: 5-7
v. 7 Jesus said to him, “It is written again,‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ”
Jesus was in the wilderness praying and fasting. His earthly body was tired and hungry. The devil took the opportunity to tempt Him. (Matthew 4:1-2) The devil tempted Jesus to use His power to prove Himself as the Son of God. The devil knew Jesus had the power to turn the stones into bread since He needed food for His body’s nourishment, (v.4). The devil also tempted Jesus to test God’s ability to protect Him. The devil knew Jesus could call on His angels if He was in danger or needed protection (v.5-7).
Jesus once again answered the devil with the Word of God.
Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ” (v.7)
Jesus first of all knew who He was. He was the Son of God. The devil knew that too. But the devil wanted to try and tempt Jesus to use His power as the Son of God. When Jesus was still on the earth, though He was fully God, He was fully human too. He chose to limit Himself to live like other men. Like any other person, He needed food and water to nourish His body. Jesus needed shelter and protection from the elements. Jesus, though He was fully man, was also secure in His identity and His relationship with the Father.
Jesus knew He could use His power to turn the stones into bread. Jesus knew He had the power to ask God to send His angels if He needed help, protection or safety. However, Jesus did not take advantage of the power He had. Jesus knew who He was, the Son of God. Jesus knew His Father God loved Him very much and would always be there to help Him when He called upon Him. However, He also knew the written Word of God as He quoted Deuteronomy 6:16 in the Old Testament:
16 “You shall not [d]tempt the Lord your God as you tempted Him in Massah.
Yes, Jesus knew He was the Son of God and God loved Him. Jesus knew God would help Him anytime He asked and called upon Him. However, Jesus knew also that He did not need to put Himself in a dangerous situation like jumping off the pinnacle of the temple and expecting the angels to rescue Him as the devil had tempted Him to do. (v.5-6)
Reflection:
Jesus knew He was the Son of God. As a follower of Jesus, I am also a child of God. God and Jesus love me and are taking care of me. I know I can always call upon the Lord Jesus when I need help. However, I should not put myself into a dangerous situation, expecting God to help me. The Lord God gives us wisdom and the Holy Spirit gives us power not to put ourselves into situations where we can be tempted or be vulnerable to sin and temptation. The Lord God gave us His written Word to resist the devil.
Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, please help me to be strong in the spirit and to have Your wisdom to resist the temptations of the evil one.
Your Thoughts:
Your Prayer:
Bible reading from Bible Gateway
Jesus and the Word
Reading: Matthew 4:1-7 (NKJV)
v.4 – But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”
Jesus submitted Himself to be baptized by John the Baptist to fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3:15). Then Jesus felt led to fast and pray for 40 days in the wilderness. (Matthew 4:1-2). His human flesh was tired and hungry.
“Now the tempter came to Him and said, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread’”(v3).
Jesus replied, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God’”.
Jesus was hungry. He had not eaten for 40 days. He was tired and very hungry in the middle of the wilderness. There was no food at all nearby. The devil tempted Him to make stones into bread. The devil knew Jesus had the capability and the power to do whatever He needed. Jesus knew His power, too, and what He could do. Perhaps, He could ask God to send food from heaven. The devil wanted Jesus to use His power to prove Himself. The devil said to Jesus, “If you are the Son of God…”
But Jesus knew who He was. He did not need to prove Himself. He was secure in who He was. He knew He was the Son of God. Jesus knew His power and what He could do, but He did not use that power just to prove who HE was.
Jesus was tempted by the devil at His weakest point. However, even when His body was weak, His spirit was strong.
Jesus used the power of the written Word of God to resist the devil. Thus, He declared:
“It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word from the mouth of God’”.
Jesus knew the written Word of God and how to use the power of the Word of God to resist the devil and his lures.
Reflection:
The Word of God is as important as human food. The Word of God is food for the soul and nourishment for the spirit. Like Jesus, it is important for us to know the written Word of God to resist the devil, his lures and temptations.
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, I thank You for Your written Word. Please help me to know Your Word and to learn Your Word. Help me be strong in Your Word to resist the devil and his schemes. In Jesus name, Amen!
Your Thoughts:
Your Prayers:
Jesus showed respect and honor to John the Baptist!
Jesus is humble. Day 9_Mat3.21 in PDF
Reading: Matthew 3:1- 17 (NKJV)
v.15 “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”
The life of baby Jesus who was born in the manger was protected as His earthly parents, Joseph and Mary, obeyed the leading of God through the angel. (Matthew 2:13-23) From Bethlehem to Egypt and then back to Israel, Joseph and Mary brought up the baby Jesus. And Jesus grew up in Nazareth in the region of Galilee. V.23 “And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, “He was called a Nazarene”.
As Jesus grew up as a young man, his cousin John also grew up as a man of God.
Matthew 3:1 “In those days, John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”.
John lived a pure life, fully dedicated to the Lord as his parents were instructed by God. “Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.”
John may have looked different in physical appearance compared to the people of his generation and culture, yet many respected his message. Many people from Jerusalem, Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him. (v.5)
Jesus, too, was aware of the ministry of John and respected him for his message. “Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.” V.13
John was surprised to see Jesus coming to him. John’s message was primarily to call sinners to repent and return to God. So, John tried to prevent Jesus and said,
“I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”
But Jesus answered, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness”. Then he allowed Him. When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’” (v.15-17)
Jesus showed humility and respect for John by allowing John to baptize Him. Even though Jesus was fully God, and did not need to repent of sins because He was sinless, He still submitted Himself to the baptism of John to fulfill all righteousness. Jesus was still fully human when He was on earth. Thus, He wanted to set an example for those who make a commitment to turn away from sin and follow God fully.
Jesus also honored the ministry of John by allowing Himself to be baptized by John, showing submission and humility. Thus, the Heavenly Father affirmed His love and pleasure for His Son Jesus.
“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!”
Reflection:
Jesus my Lord showed humility and submission by allowing John to baptize Him. As His follower, I too would like to be humble and submit to the servants of God.
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for your humility and respect for the ministry of John. Help me also to be humble and show respect to the ministry of Your servants.
Your Thoughts:
Your Prayer:
Obedience of Joseph & Mary protected the life of Baby Jesus.
Day 8
Reading: Matthew 2:19-23 (NKJV)
v.21 Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel
Jesus was born in in a manger in Bethlehem. The wise men from the East was guided by the Lord to see the Baby Jesus. As the wise men carefully listened to the leading of the Lord God, they left the country through another road. God knew the wicked plans of King Herod.
v.16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth, and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem, and all its districts, from two years old and under…
However, the Lord guided Joseph and Mary already before the horrible killings of children happened. An angel of the Lord spoke to Joseph in his dream again.
v.13 “Arise, take young child and His mother, flee to Egypt…”
And Joseph carefully obeyed the leading of the Lord through the words of the angel in his dream. Joseph did not doubt, and he did not dilly dally. Joseph realized that his obedience was a matter of life and death for his family.
v.14 when he arose, he took the young child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt.
Joseph, Mary and their child Jesus stayed in Egypt until the Lord guided them again through an angel. The angel spoke to Joseph that Herod was dead, and he instructed Joseph to take his wife and child back to Israel.
v.21 Then he arose and took the young Child and His mother, and came to the land of Israel.
The Lord guided Joseph and Mary throughout, since Mary’s delivery of the baby, until the baby grew up. Since Mary’s obedience to God’s call and will, God protected her, kept and guided her, including her husband and baby. Joseph also was obedient to the leading of the Lord, thus the family was protected.
Reflection:
We could trust a faithful and True God, as we obey Him. He will guide and protect us.
Prayer: Dear Lord help me and my family be sensitive to Your leading and guidance. Holy Spirit please help us to carefully obey Your leading in our lives .
Your Thoughts:
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Your Prayer:
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Day 7 – Jesus and the wise men!
Day 7
Reading Matthew 2: 7-18
v.12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.
In Matthew chapter 2, continues with the account of the events during the birth of Baby Jesus.
Then Herod, when he had secretly called the [b]wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.” V.7-8
At that time Israel was occupied by Rome and as mentioned in the previous passage, King Herod was the appointed governor or ruler in Israel by the Roman government. Herod had heard about the prophecy of the coming Messiah or Deliverer of Israel. And Herod was insecure and afraid to lose his power and authority. When he heard about the wise men who came from the East, he made plans to meet with them. Herod wanted to know more details about the coming of the Messiah. He made plans to stop the coming of a new power. He felt threatened so he told the wise men,
“When you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also”.
The wise men told Herod about the words of prophecies about the coming of the Messiah, the One who was to Rule Israel as their King forever. Herod did not want that. So, he misled or deceived the wise men and told them, that he want to worship Him too.
The wise men continued their journey following the star they had seen in the East. They rejoiced when they found Baby Jesus, His earthly parents, Mary and Joseph. They worshiped the baby Jesus as they brought their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. V.9-12 They rejoiced gladly that their eyes had seen the fulfillment of the word of the Lord spoken by the old prophets.
v.12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.
The Lord God guided the three wise men, because they were truly seeking the Messiah. For many years, the wise men from the East have heard of the coming of Messiah, the Deliverer of the Earth. They had studied the ancient Scriptures and the words of God through the prophets, like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and others. The wise men believed in their hearts for the fulfillment of those Words spoken and written by the men and prophets of God. The wise men carefully watched for the signs in the heaven, such as the moon and the stars. I guess God knew their hearts, so the Lord guided them throughout their journey and waiting.
Only God can know the hearts of men. King Herod spoke nice words to the wise men about finding Jesus. King Herod told the wise men he wanted to worship Jesus too. And it seemed the wise men took Herod’s words. The wise men did not know the evil plan of Herod. But God knew, so God guided the wise men and spoke to them in their dreams.
Reflection: As we trust our Lord Jesus, God will guide us as we seek Him with all our hearts.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for Your Words and the assurance that You are always guiding me and taking care of me as I seek You in my life with all my heart.
Your Thoughts:
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Your Prayer:
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Day 6 – Matthew 2:1-6
Day 6
Reading: Matthew 2: 1 – 6
v.6 “But you Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd my people Israel”.
Matthew Chapter 2 shares the account of the birth of Jesus in the town of Bethlehem during the days of Herod the king. At that time there were wise men from the East who came to Jerusalem. Those wise men were known in Bible history as men who had heard of the coming of the Messiah in Israel. They may have studied the Scriptures and the wise sayings of the prophets in the Old Testament. They knew the signs to look for and seemed to be aware of the times and the seasons regarding the Messiah that was to come. So, they traveled from afar to Jerusalem to look for the Baby who was born to be the “King of the Jews”.
v.2 “Where is HE who was been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him”.
When King Herod and the people of Israel saw the coming of the wise men who were looking for the Baby Jesus, they were troubled. King Herod called all the chief priests and inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. Since the priests and the scribes knew well their history and the Scriptures, they told king Herod, “in Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet;
v.6 “But you Bethlehem, in the land of Judah; Are not the least among the rulers of Judah, For out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.”
The quote in Matthew 2:6 was written by Micah the prophet. In Micah 5:2 it says:
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet, out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting”.
Reflection:
God chose Bethlehem as the birthplace of Jesus Christ, the true King of Kings. I have not been in Israel nor Bethlehem, but according to the book of Micah, it was a small place compared to the other places in Judah and Israel. God chose the small village of Bethlehem to be the birthplace of the King of Kings to express the humility, humbleness, and meekness of Jesus. God did not choose the mighty and great, but the least, so He could show His power.
Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, we praise You for your humbleness and meekness when You came here to earth. You chose the small things and the humble because You love humble hearts. Help me to always be humble before You and before others too.
Your Thoughts:
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Your Prayers:
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They shall call His name Emmanuel..
Day 5
Matthew 1:23
“Behold the virgin shall be with child, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, God with us.”
Reading: Matthew 1:18-25
We are still in the story of the biological parents of Jesus, Joseph and Mary. An angel of God spoke to Joseph in his dream about the child that Mary his fiancée was carrying in her womb. The angel told Joseph the Mary will bring forth a son, and His name will be Jesus, v.21. And it was written that the birth of Jesus is the fulfillment of the words of God through the prophets in the Old Testament, Isaiah 7:14.
“Behold the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, ‘God with us’.
Since Christ came to earth 2000 years ago, God’s presence through the Holy Spirit has been with men. When Jesus came to earth, God literally came down to earth because of His love, His compassion, and His mercy. He chose to come and live among men, when Jesus returned to heaven physically, He sent His Holy Spirit, thus He still lives among us. Through the Holy Spirit we have the seal of salvation, a personal connection to the Father and with the Son. We have the power to overcome because God is with us.
Reflection: The Lord Jesus Christ came from heaven to earth so that God could dwell with His people. For me, as a follower of Jesus, it is an encouragement and comfort to me to know that God is always with me because Christ lives in my heart.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for sending your Son to us so that You could be with us always and forever, Amen!
Your Thoughts:
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Your Prayer:
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The King is born!
(Photo: a replica of an animal stable as the birth place of Baby Jesus-from Biblical History Center, La Grange, GA)
Matthew Chapter 1
Day 1- to download the study guide
Day 1
Reading: Matthew 1:1-17
v.17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations. (This is the main verse that spoke to me in the passage)
Matthew, the writer of the Gospel of Matthew, began his account of the life of Christ by listing all the ancestors of Jesus beginning with Abraham. In the Old Testament, the covenant of God, or the promise to the nation of Israel, started with the life of Abraham.
I will make you a great nation; I will bless you. And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:2-3)
Matthew also mentioned that Jesus is the Son of David. (Matthew 1:1)
In Psalm 89:28-29, the Lord God made His covenant and His sure mercies to David:
My mercy I will keep for him forever, And My covenant shall stand firm with him.29 His seed also I will make to endure forever, And his throne as the days of heaven.
In between Abraham and David were different men who carried on the legacy and the fulfillment of God’s Words and promise from Abraham to Isaac, to Jacob, and to the children of Jacob. And from the children of Jacob, the family grew into the nation of Israel. From the children of Abraham came David who became the greatest king of Israel. From King David came his sons and their descendants who also became kings in Israel. Some were good and some were not. Some followed the ways of God and some did not – until the kingdom was taken from them and the people of Israel were carried away to Babylon. After the Babylonian captivity, when the children of Israel returned to their land, new descendants of David ruled Israel including Jeconiah, Shealtiel, and Zerubbabel until Joseph the father of Jesus was born.
“So, all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.” (Matthew 1:17)
Reflection:
Reading the story of the ancestors of Jesus, from Abraham to David and their descendants, reminded me that a lot of them messed up and made horrible mistakes. Yet the promise of God to Abraham and to David remained true. Jesus Christ came from the line of Abraham and David. It is encouraging to me to know that God is faithful and sovereign over the lives of His people, and in my life too.
Prayer :
Lord, I thank you that You are in control, and that You set the times and the seasons. I praise You Lord, that You are merciful and faithful. You control the timeline, and you have history in Your hands. What hope and encouragement we have in You! You’ve got my future too – and the future of the world! You are Sovereign Lord, and our lives are in Your hands. You see and control the big picture. I praise You Jesus!
Your Thoughts:
Your Prayer:
Day 2
Day 2- download the study guide
Matthew 1:20 “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit”.
Reading: Matthew 1:18-20
In this chapter in Matthew, he mentioned that one of the children of Abraham and David’s children’s children was Joseph. V. 16 says, “And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ”.
At that point of history, Joseph was a young man and was engaged to a young lady named Mary. However, before they got officially married, Joseph found out that Mary was pregnant.
v.19 “Then Joseph, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly”. However, the Lord God intervened in the situation. The Lord sent His angel to speak to Joseph in his dream.
v.20 “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.”
I guess when Joseph found out that Mary was pregnant, he was upset and heartbroken. Perhaps they had a heart to heart talk. Maybe Mary tried to explain to Joseph that the baby in her womb is from God. And that could have been very difficult for Joseph to believe her. Joseph may have felt betrayed. In their culture that time, if somebody was found in adultery, the person could be punished by the law. So, Joseph, though feeling hurt and betrayed, still had compassion on Mary. So, he made plans to put off the engagement quietly. He did not want to embarrass Mary in the public or be punished by their law. And Joseph ‘s mind was made up, he could not believe Mary’s explanation. Thank the Lord that He is sovereign and had a plan. So, God sent His angel to speak to Joseph in his dream. Thus, Joseph then believed what Mary told him already. “…for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit”. V.21
Reflection:
God is s sovereign over the life of His people and His plan of salvation. Mary obeyed God when Joseph almost missed it. Joseph could have had missed God’s big plan for Jesus ‘s life, and the salvation of the world. Thank the Lord that He sent His angel to speak to Joseph. When the angel of God spoke to Mary about His plan for Jesus, Mary willingly obeyed. So, God took care of Mary as she obeyed His leading. Thank the Lord, that Joseph listened and obeyed too in the end.
Prayer:
Lord help me do Your will. Help us your children to heed and listen to Your voice. Please help us follow and obey Your leading, empower us to do Your will like Joseph and Mary , to follow Your ways. In Jesus’ name.
Your Thoughts:
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Your Prayer:
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Day 3
Matthew 1:21 “His name is Jesus; for He will save His people from their sins.”
Reading: Matthew 1:18-21
The story continues with Joseph and Mary. When Joseph found out that Mary was already carrying a baby in her womb, he was disappointed. So Joseph made plans to break up the engagement from Mary. However, God intervened and sent His angel to speak to Joseph in his dream. The angel told Joseph that the baby Mary had in her womb is of the Holy Spirit. The angel further said, that
“And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name [h]Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” V. 21
The name of Jesus literally means “Savior”. The angel was clear to Mary and Joseph when he said, Jesus will save His people from their sins, and not from the Roman rule and oppression, but from SIN. The people of Israel at that time of history was ruled by the Roman government. And according to history, many of the people suffered and were oppressed by the tyranny of the Roman rule. So many of the Jews or people of Israel were expecting and waiting for their Messiah, their Deliverer. They were expecting somebody that maybe similar to Moses or King David in the Old Testament who delivered the people of Israel from slavery and oppression. King David had fought many battles against the enemies of Israel- neighboring countries who tried to oppress them. So, many of the people of Israel on Jesus time on earth were waiting for their Messiah, someone to deliver them from the oppression of the Roman rule.
However, from the start and the plan of God was to send Jesus to save His people from their sins- from the bondage of sins. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. John 1:29 says, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! “
Reflection: Only Jesus can save Israel and the people of the world from sin.
Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you that You came to save us from our sins! I thank you for Your forgiveness and mercy. I praise You that you are the lamb that was slain and the only atonement for our sins.
Your Thoughts:
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Your Prayers:
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Day 4
Matthew 1:22
“ So, all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet”.
Reading: Matthew 1:18-24
The coming of Christ was foretold by some of the prophets in the Old Testament many years before. One of the prophets that spoke of the coming of Messiah was the Prophet Isaiah.
Isaiah 7:14 says, “Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel”.
Joseph and Mary were the chosen biological parents of Jesus. At that time, before they got officially married, Mary had the baby Jesus already in her womb. Mary having a baby was not from a union with a man, but a divine intervention from heaven. Mary that time was considered a virgin, and yet she conceived a Son. God put a seed in her womb. That became the fulfillment of the words spoken by the prophet Isaiah, 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)
God did not forget what He promised to His people Israel. Even though it took many, many years , about 700 years, yet God in Hi sovereignty and power fulfilled His plan of salvation, Jesus Christ was born. The Lord fulfilled His promise when Christ came to the world as a baby to save the people from sins.
Reflection: God keeps His promises. What He says, He will do. It is an encouragement to me that God keeps His words. God’s words say, someday Jesus will come back again, not as a baby but as the King and I will be with Him forever in eternity.
Prayer: Lord God, thank You that You are faithful and true. I praise You that I could trust You for the fulfillment of Your Word.
Your Thoughts:
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Your Prayer:
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Day 5
Day 5-download the study guide
Matthew 1:23
“Behold the virgin shall be with child, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, God with us.”
Reading: Matthew 1:18-25
We are still in the story of the biological parents of Jesus, Joseph and Mary. An angel of God spoke to Joseph in his dream about the child that Mary his fiancée was carrying in her womb. The angel told Joseph the Mary will bring forth a son, and His name will be Jesus, v.21. And it was written that the birth of Jesus is the fulfillment of the words of God through the prophets in the Old Testament, Isaiah 7:14.
“Behold the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, ‘God with us’.
Since Christ came to earth 2000 years ago, God’s presence through the Holy Spirit has been with men. When Jesus came to earth, God literally came down to earth because of His love, His compassion, and His mercy. He chose to come and live among men, when Jesus returned to heaven physically, He sent His Holy Spirit, thus He still lives among us. Through the Holy Spirit we have the seal of salvation, a personal connection to the Father and with the Son. We have the power to overcome because God is with us.
Reflection: The Lord Jesus Christ came from heaven to earth so that God could dwell with His people. For me, as a follower of Jesus, it is an encouragement and comfort to me to know that God is always with me because Christ lives in my heart.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for sending your Son to us so that You could be with us always and forever, Amen!
Your Thoughts:
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Your Prayer:
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Introduction to the Gospel of Matthew Devotion Studies
The past couple of years or so, I have spent time studying the Gospel of Matthew. With the use of only the Bible as a cross-reference, I took a few minutes most days to study the passages in Matthew. My desire and goal was to do this study daily, but due to intervening circumstances, I was not able to do it every day. But I tried. Anyway, I would like to share with you my devotional study of the Gospel of Matthew in hopes that you will enjoy it and glean insights from it. I started with 15 minutes, then gradually it grew to 30 minutes a day. Sometimes, I was able to have a good 40 to 50 minutes, it depends on how early I get up in the morning. My schedule sometimes is not able to do it, but I try to be consistent. And sometimes with travel schedules, it is a bit challenge to be consistent with my daily quite time. However, with the Lord’s grace and the power of the Holy Spirit, He keeps me going.
If you are interested to try this, here is a simple guide for a Daily Quiet Time (DQT) or hang-out with Jesus!
Spend a few minutes day with the Lord in His Word. If you could do one hour, that would be great! Sit still and think of God’s goodness. Thank Him for one or two things that He gave you for the day – the sunshine, clean water, etc. Thank Him for the big things – a call from a friend, passing a school test or a job promotion! And praise God for who He is – our Creator, the giver of life and the God of all. If you like singing, you could also sing a simple hymn or praise-song to the Lord!
Then take time in His Word. Read a chapter or a short passage in the Bible. I like to read systematically and chronologically, as it helps me with the sequence of events or story line. I like using the New King James version Bible as I am more comfortable with it, but you could use any version of the Bible that you are most comfortable with.
Ask the Holy Spirit to give you a spirit of revelation and wisdom. Some Christians who study the Bible look for what the Lord is saying to them through the passage, that is His message for them. For me, I like to look at the character of God in every story or Bible passage. As I study and read the words of God in the Bible, I get to know more about His character and His attributes. Through the stories and passages, I see and learn that God is good, merciful, just, compassionate, tender-hearted, patient, loving, holy, righteous, sovereign and powerful.
Other guidelines that help me with my study are the use of this questions in the story: Who, What, When, Where or Why or How. Who was speaking in the passage, Who he is speaking or who is the audience. What was said, How it was said, Where is the location, or Why it was said. These questions helped to understand the context of the story or the passage in the Bible.
I also included in the study guide, a portion of writing “your thoughts” and “your prayers”. Your thoughts could include “Application” and answer to question such as “What the study meant to you? How it would help you in your day to day life.
So, I challenge you to take the time – start with a few minutes a day spending time with the Lord Jesus and His Word and see how He will reveal Himself to you.
Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
The Word of God has changed my life, and it is still changing me up to now. The Word of God has changed my heart, my attitude, and my character. That’s how powerful it is. And the Word of God has changed countless others from all walks of life, from the many different nations and continents, and in every place throughout all generations.
The Creels' Catch 