King James Daily Bible Study Devotional
Message Title: Perception of God
Date: Wednesday April 25, 2012
Today's Chapters: 2 Kings 22-23

Hello My Friend,

Most people when asked about their faith in God will tell you they believe in Him and try to do good, some will down right tell you they do not want God in their lives because they like the life they are living. Every person that lives in the world, whether they are saved or not, has their own perception of God, what they see as acceptable and not acceptable to Him. They base that perception of God by what they were taught by others, not by personally knowing God themselves. It is upon that perception that they live their lives with or without God in it. The sad thing is, those who truly want God in their lives are living according to that perception rather than finding out whether or not it is acceptable.

“For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” - Acts 17:23,24,30,31.

After two wicked kings ruled over Judah, we learn of one godly man, named Josiah who walked in the ways of David and did not give into other kings trying to threaten him. He began to reign at the age of eight, when he was eighteen he had all all the idols and groves removed out of the Temple and began restoring it. Upon cleaning the temple, the priest discovered something he had never seen before, the Bible.

“And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king. And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king's, saying, Go ye, enquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.” - 2 Kings 22:10-13.

For two generations the Bible had completely disappeared as it had been forbidden to be read even by the priests. This was the first time that Josiah heard the Word of God from the actual book, upon hearing it, Josiah repented of all the sins he was not aware of then eagerly seeks help from prophets concerning the judgments that were written in His Word. An amazing thing happens to a person who accepts Christ and begins reading His Word, it convicts them, which just means it makes them aware of sin that they were unaware of. This happens as the Holy Spirit grows inside them, which is why many run when they hear truth. Jesus describes the Word of God as a seed.

“When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” - Matthew 13:19,22,23.

As Josiah learned the truth he gathered everyone together and the Word of God was read to the congregation. After reading it a huge spiritual revival took place, everyone in the congregation began helping remove all the abominations to the Lord out of Judah and they did not stop there, they went throughout all of Israel to remove everything that caused the people to live in sin.

“And the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem. And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the LORD. And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant. Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD.” - 2 Kings 23:1-3,24.

Even though a great revival took place and God was very pleased with Josiah and all that followed him, God did not withdraw His judgment upon Judah and Jerusalem. God would spare Josiah the pain of seeing his kingdom destroyed, but judgment was coming. The same holds true for us today, Jesus is coming and He will judge everyone, people who have already died will be resurrected into either eternal life or eternal death, those who have received Christ as their Savior before that first death will be saved from that second death and live in His Kingdom. “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.” - John 5:28-30,34.

Today's Psalm: 56:4 - “In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.”

Today's Proverb: 30:5 - “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.”

Today's Prayer: God, I know that the Holy Bible is not some ordinary book, it is Your Word, it contains life and gives life to all who want You in their lives. Reading Your Word, studying it, and following it will never return void as we allow the Holy Spirit in us to guide us to what truly is and is not acceptable to You. Help me to follow Your commands with all might heart and soul, lead me to others who need You so they too can learn the truth and be saved before Jesus comes to claim us. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

Enjoy the rest of your day/night.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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