Matthew 1:22, 23 - God With Us.
Matthew 1:22, 23 " God With Us.
Matthew 1:22, 23 (NKJV) So all this was done that it might be
fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:
"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall
call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us."
INTRODUCTION
Jesus was to be called 'Immanuel' ("God with us"), as predicted
by Isaiah the prophet (Isaiah 7:14). Jesus was God in the flesh;
thus God was literally among us, "with us." Through the Holy Spirit,
Christ is present today in the life of every believer. Perhaps not even
Isaiah understood how far-reaching the meaning of "Immanuel" would be.
[Life Application SB]
COMMENTARY
The prophet Isaiah predicted that a child named Immanuel
would be born as a sign of God's power and presence with his people
(Isaiah 7:14). Seven centuries later, Jesus was born of a virgin, and
one of the names the Bible gives him is Immanuel, which means God
with us.
Jesus is fully God, and he became a mortal man to take on
everything we experience. He became human to show us that God is not far
away in heaven, indifferent to what we're going through, but is in
fact God with us every moment.
As you take this journey in life, call out to him as
Immanuel. He is with you, and he cares about what you're going through. He
has experienced every aspect of human life that you will go through.
He is with you every step of the way.
Jesus is God with us at every moment, encouraging and
strengthening us to keep pursuing this adventure of being fully his. [The
Daniel Plan 365-Day Devotional]
The incarnation of the Son of God was accomplished by a
creative act of the Holy Spirit in the body of Mary, a virgin. It was a
special miracle performed by the third person of the Holy Trinity - the
Holy Spirit - which enabled the second person of the Trinity - the
eternal Son of God - to take upon Himself a genuine, although sinless,
human nature. He was born of a virgin, as a man, without surrendering
any aspect of His deity..
One with us, yet one with God. He had to become man because
man was the one who had sinned. He had to be God because God was the
only One who could do anything about the sin of man. Humanity had
tried for centuries, and the situation only got worse! The only way
God could bring about the salvation of the fallen human race was to
assume the form of the race He was to redeem.
God has given us the means to know the truth. Jesus is the
way to the Father, because He is our Redeemer. He is the truth
because He is the fulfillment of all the prophecies concerning Him. He
is the life because He overcame death.. Jesus has the fullness
of God dwelling in Him bodily forever and ever. The Son of God
became the Son of man so that the sons of men might become the sons of
God. Terry Fullam [Time With God SB]
Our imagination is a tricky thing when it leads us off on
tangents into unreal fantasies or wishful thinking. But God gave us the
ability to imagine for a reason. Our minds don't always conjure up
fiction. The imagination is a God-given blessing when it helps us picture
what is true. So imagine this: Jesus is in the room.
Are you aware of that? The same feet that walked the dusty
roads of Galilee are walking with you on this day in the twenty-first
century. The same Spirit who hovered over the deep at the foundation of
the world is breathing into you right now. The Father is looking
into every corner of your heart at this very moment and is not
discouraged about you. Jesus is sitting next to you with love in His heart
and a welcoming smile on His face. The Spirit is hovering over you
and welling up within you. You are accompanied by the divine
Three-in-One as you read this, and He will be with you in anything you face
today. The eternal One inhabits every passing moment of your life.
Think about these things. Let them sink in. Picture the Jesus
of the Gospels by your side wherever you go. Take a few deep
breaths and envision the Spirit rushing in and pouring out of you. Know
that you are surrounded by the Father's love. God called His Son
"Immanuel" for a reason: His desire is to be with you. Not against you, not
observing you from a distance, not just with people in general or
theoretically omnipresent. Not just in the big picture of your life but right
now in the details. He is with you in every way.
Jesus, help me see what is already true - that You are here
with me right now, that You are a constant companion throughout every
minute of my days. Please remind me to remind myself often that You are
in the room. [The One Year Experiencing Gods Presence
Devotional by Chris Tiegreen]
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
I am God with you, for all time and throughout eternity. Don't
let the familiarity of that concept numb its impact on your
consciousness. My perpetual Presence with you can be a continual source of Joy,
springing up and flowing out in streams of abundant Life. Let your mind
reverberate with meanings of My Names: Jesus - the Lord saves, and Immanuel
- God with us. Strive to remain conscious of My Presence even in
your busiest moments. Talk with Me about whatever delights you,
whatever upsets you, whatever is on your mind. These tiny steps of daily
discipline, taken one after the other, will keep you close to Me on the path
of Life. (Mat. 1:21, 23; Acts 2:28) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
I am ever so near you, hovering over your shoulder, reading
every thought. People think that thoughts are fleeting and worthless,
but yours are precious to Me. I smile when you think lovingly of Me.
My Spirit, who lives within you, helps you to think My thoughts. As
your thinking goes, so goes your entire being.
Let Me be your positive Focus. When you look to Me, knowing
Me as God with you, you experience Joy. This is according to My
ancient design, when I first crafted man. Modern man seeks his positive
focus elsewhere: in sports, sensations, acquiring new possessions.
Advertising capitalizes on the longing of people for a positive focus in
their lives. I planted that longing in human souls, knowing that only
I could fully satisfy it. Delight yourself in Me; let Me become
the Desire of your heart. (Mat. 1:23; Psa. 37:4) [Jesus Calling by
Sarah Young]
Learn to enjoy life more. Relax, remembering that I am God with
you. I crafted you with enormous capacity, to know Me and enjoy My
Presence. When My people wear sour faces and walk through their lives with
resigned rigidity, I am displeased. When you walk through a day with
childlike delight, savoring every blessing, you proclaim your trust in Me,
your ever-present Shepherd. The more you focus on My Presence with
you, the more fully you can enjoy life. Glorify Me through your
pleasure in Me. Thus you proclaim My Presence to the watching world.
(Mat. 1:23; John 10:10, 11) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
CLOSING THOUGHT WITH SPECIAL SONG:
Wow! The Creator came to dwell with His creation. The
all-knowing One came to teach teachers and students limited by their lack of
knowledge and understanding. The ever-present One came to comfort hurting
people stuck in their suffering. The all-powerful One came to serve
weak people, empowering them with His Spirit. The Almighty sent His
only son Jesus into the world, fully God and fully man. Yes, the Word
became flesh!
God is with us to face down our fears by faith. God is with
us in our doubts. God is with us in our hurts, applying His healing
balm of grace. God is with us in our transitions to grow our trust in
Him. God is with us at work and at home. God is with us in our
uncertainty. God is with us when we feel His presence and when we don't feel
Him near. God is with us in our successes and in our failures. God
is with us and for us for His glory!
"And surely I [Jesus] am with you always, to the very end of
the age. (Matthew 28:20 NIV)
God is with us in our modern technology and our antiquated
activities. The Lord is with us in our big cities and our small towns. Jesus
is with us when we feel joy, laughter and loss. Christ is with us
to comfort us in our pain and encourage us to persevere for Him. He
is with us in the ups and the downs. He is with us and He is in us
to work through us!
Therefore, because Christ is with you, you can be confident
of His wisdom and direction. Fools flounder for lack of faith, but
you have the Faithful One as the facilitator of your circumstances.
Immanuel entered the earth by birth and entered your heart by new birth.
Your Savior Jesus has saved you from your sins and your Lord Jesus
commands you to follow His ways and experience His life. He gave His life
and came to life for your life! by Boyd Bailey.
http://www.wisdomhunters.com
Down from His Glory by Larry Wayne Morbitt;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvHWT3vXA6c
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2015/20151220-1950.html
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Seeking God Made Real: http://vimeo.com/31489782
Music Devotional On Christian Living:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcotY5K7T0c
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES AND SEMINARS
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: http://www.bibleresearch.info/
http://www.aBible.com
