Immanuel - God With Us

 

NAMES OF CHRIST 

IMMANUEL 

(pronounced Em-man-oo-ale')

GOD WITH US 

Matthew 1:23

Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His Name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God With Us. 

This Name is given denoting the personal union (with us) between human nature and the divinity of Christ (God). 

John 1:1, 14

In The Beginning was THE WORD and THE WORD was with God, and THE WORD was God. 

And THE WORD became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of The Only Begotten of The Father,) full of grace and Truth.

    Now, now that Jesus had arrived, those who looked to Him for their salvation, would never be alone again. Never would profound loss and sorrow prevail over God's people, for God is with Us now and forever. 

    Looking to The Lord in the Scriptures, we see that we are not alone in doing so:

• David wrote in 1 Chronicles 16:11 "Seek out The Lord and His Strength, seek His face always."
• Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 55:6 "Seek The Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near."
• Jeremiah said in Jeremiah 29:13 "You will seek Me and find me, when you search for Me with your whole heart."
• Paul writes in Hebrews 11:6 " 
• And without faith it is impossible to please God. For anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

    God reminds us that He is always with us:

• Moses told Joshua in Deuteronomy 31:8 "
• And the LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”
• God speaks to Joshua personally in Joshua 1:9 "
• Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
• Isaiah 43:1-2 "
• But now, this is what the LORD says—He who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine! / When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched; the flames will not set you ablaze."
• David, Psalm 23:4 "
• Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 

    Yet, these are but a sample of God being with us. Now is the time to draw near to God. Now is the day to look to Christ for our salvation. The days are short and getting shorter. Whereas for millennia the earth has rotated around the sun in a 24-hour span, now it is 23 hours 56 minutes and 4 seconds. The days ahead will get even shorter for God has promised to do concerning His people. (Mark 13:20; Matthew 24:22). 

GOD WITH US - MercyMe

Signs & Wonders of Christ's Arrival - - The Way In A Manger

Isaiah 7:14

 Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 226

Sign: miracle, attestation of God's divine presence and interposition (mediation)

Matthew 1:23

"Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel" (which means, "God with us").

On the surface of the Scripture a person may wonder what this verse and the many verses we will touch on this month have to do with being born again. Christ is our foundation of living. Without His arrival to this world there would be no born again experience. The world would still be awaiting God's promise of a Messianic kingdom to be set up. 

THE WAY

To be born again is to believe that Jesus Christ is God's Messiah, that God's plan of salvation is enacted in Him and through Him. He is the gospel of salvation. He is the Way (John 14:6a): the Way in which we are to walk out our daily lives (Isaiah 30:21), the Way which God has provided for us to reach The LORD God Himself (John 14:6d). 

John 14:6

Jesus answered, “I am The Way and The Truth and The Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

IN A MANGER

Luke 2:11, 12

11. Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord! 

12. And this will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

15. When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

16. So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the Baby, who was lying in the manger.

THE LIGHT

He was born on this Earth of humble birth. After all, what could be a more humble birth than to be born in a stable, a barn? Mary had prepared for the birth of her son by bringing the necessities required to wrap him up after His birth, but the place of one's birth can never really be planned for. 

Babies are born in taxicabs, hotel lobbies, hospitals, at home; very seldom are human babies born in a barn stall surrounded by sounds of barn animals. But this was a special baby, this was The Light of God's Love given to a dark world. It is only fitting then, that He should be born in a dimly lit stable. 

John 1:5

And The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 

John 8:12

Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, "I am The Light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have The Light of Life."

John 9:5

"While I am in the world, I am The Light of the world."

Has The Light of God's Love made Himself at home in Your heart? If not, are you ready to believe in God's Messiah, to have The Light take up residence in the darkness of your hearts? 

Dear God,

I believe that Jesus Christ is Your Son. Please forgive me of all my sins and help me to walk in Your Way, in Your Light. Come live in my soul: in my heart, in my thoughts, in my emotions, my attitude. Lead me through Your precious Holy Word into Your marvelous Light. Forgive me, Father, of all my unrighteousness; forgive me for trying to do things my way, instead of Your Way. To You, O Lord, I surrender my all. 

As in days of old, when they who had been forgiven much by kings of the realm, I pledge my allegiance to You. May my feet go where You lead. You have promised never to leave nor forsake Your people. I would that I were one of Your people. Come live in me that I might live in You. Forever. 

In Jesus' Precious Name, I pray,

Amen

THE WAY MEDLEY