Podcasts about immanuel god

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Wednesday morning, the 30th of April, 2025, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We go to the Gospel of Luke 5:16: “So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.” Who am I talking about here? I am talking about the Son of God, I am talking about Jesus Christ, I am talking about Immanuel - God with us. Now, if He had to do that, how much more should you and I be doing that? He did it often, not now and again. Oh my dear friend, I think this message is aimed more at me than it is at you! Contemplation - when you contemplate something. I looked up the Oxford Dictionary to find out the literal meaning of the word, “contemplate”. It means to look at thoughtfully, to think about, to think deeply and at length. It says that to contemplate is to look at, gaze at, stare at, view, regard, examine, inspect, observe, (are you getting the story?) survey, study. He contemplated. We need to ponder, you and I, how many times are we taking time out to think about the way forward? We don't, do we? We just go for it, we wing it. It is one of my favourite things and I hate myself for it. There is no time left in the world to wing it. We need to concentrate on something called time management. Remember Jesus was never late, He was never early, He was always spot on time. We think about Lazarus, His friend in the grave. “Lord, if You had come, my brother would have lived,” but the Lord commanded him to be raised from the dead. You know, it is first the mountain, and then the ministry, or your work or whatever else. If you don't spend time up the mountain, not a literal mountain, but time in the morning, praying, reading the word of God, and contemplating about what you are going to do that day, you will make some very poor decisions. Now, let us start to think.I remember, very clearly, sitting at the banks of the mighty Zambezi River, which separates Zambia from Zimbabwe, about to go across that river on a pontoon with that 20-ton Mercedes Benz truck for six weeks, leaving my young wife and children back on the farm. I was contemplating things very seriously, crying out to God to protect my family and He did. We need to hear from God first before we make any decisions. Jesus bless you and have a wonderful day,Goodbye.

Bearing the Fruit of Christ (audio) David Eells – 4/23/25 Saints, The Lord told me a few days ago that the Man-child and Bride are not quite ready for all He has planned.  He indicated the time would be soon, but they need to “…Behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord.” This is justification by faith and also is how the power to manifest Christ in us comes. 2Co.3:18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. Today I'm going to talk to you about bearing the fruit of perfection in Christ. We have learned that we were sanctified and perfected. (Heb.10:14) For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. We shall be manifested in these things. We receive sanctification and perfection by this position in Christ Jesus. Now we need to cooperate with God to manifest what we've received by faith. (Heb.11:1) Now faith is assurance of [things] hoped for, a conviction of things not seen. We want the evidence to be made manifest in our life so that Christ can live through us in this world. I usually study the Parable of the Sower out of Matthew 13, but I would like us to look at Luke this time. (Luk.8:4) And when a great multitude came together, and they of every city resorted unto him, he spake by a parable: (5) The sower went forth to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden under foot, and the birds of the heaven devoured it. (6) And other fell on the rock; and as soon as it grew, it withered away, because it had no moisture. (7) And other fell amidst the thorns; and the thorns grew with it, and choked it. (8) And other fell into the good ground, and grew, and brought forth fruit a hundredfold. As he said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. (9) And his disciples asked him what this parable might be. (10) And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to the rest in parables; that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.  (11) Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. (12) And those by the way side are they that have heard; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved. (13) And those on the rock [are] they who, when they have heard, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. (14) And that which fell among the thorns, these are they that have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of [this] life, and bring no fruit to perfection. So obviously, we're talking about the manifestation of perfection, which is to bring fruit to perfection. Notice, even though they were receiving the seed, they didn't bring the fruit to perfection. (15) And that in the good ground, these are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it fast, and bring forth fruit with patience. These bring forth fruit unto perfection. Glory to God! That's our hope, that the Lord Himself will manifest His fruit in us. It's the seed that brings forth the fruit unto perfection; it's not us. It's the seed, the Word of God in us, that has power. One of the points is that we have to hold it fast, hold fast the seed. We see that the seed is being sown in the heart (verse 11) and the seed is the Word of God. If the heart holds it fast, it will bring forth fruit unto perfection. (12) And those by the way side are they that have heard; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved. Here the Word is not held fast so that it bears fruit; this is a miscarrying womb. The heart is the womb that brings forth the fruit, just like the womb of a woman has to hold fast the seed in order for that seed to come to birth. (1Jn.3:9) Whosoever is begotten (the word “begotten” here is the same word for “born”) of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him…. In other words, it stays, it's being held fast, it “abideth in him.” He cannot sin because he is born of God. So, when the seed abides, it can come to birth, it can bring the fruit to perfection. And we know, since the seed is the Word of God, and Jesus is the Word of God, that the fruit that is born in us is “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col.1:27); that is, Christ manifested in His people. We know that we were perfected at the cross, that His life was given for ours, and that we don't live anymore – Christ lives in us by faith. But as we hold fast the promise in the midst of the many trials of riches, temptations, and so on, as we hold on to the Word, that Word will bear fruit. Many times in the trial, our mind wants to revert back to the things of the world. Our mind wants to walk by sight instead of by faith, but in the trial, we have opportunity to hold on to the Word and not turn it loose, so that it bears the same fruit of Jesus Christ in us, the same faith, the same miraculous power, the same sanctifying power, manifested through His saints. When we're in the midst of the trials, we have to hold fast to the Word and cast down everything else. (2Co.10:5) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. That's the whole point: we are to hold fast to the Word and cast down every other word that empowers the curse. We must cast down the seed of the devil, which is his word and thoughts. Cast it down, cast it out of our mind. We only want the one seed that can bring forth the fruit of Christ. That's the only seed we want to accept and we have to hold fast to it, because the devil is seeking to take away the seed that's been sown in our heart. He desperately has to do that, or we will bear fruit and it will be too late. We have to “hold fast the confession of our hope that it waver not.” When you're in the fiery trial and you know what the promise is, remember that promise is the seed that you have to hold to in order to bear the fruit. We don't want to have a spiritually-miscarrying womb. Remember, Jesus said, The words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life (Joh.6:63). Any other word besides the Word of God is also spirit and is also life, but not the spirit and life of Christ. We don't want another life. We don't want to have “strange children,” as the prophet spoke: (Hos.5:7) “They have borne strange children”. They have to look like the father. If you have a child who looks strangely different from the father, you wonder, “Now, whose seed is this?” It wasn't the seed of the father. Well, so it is today. We read the Scriptures in order to become familiar with the Father, Jesus said, He that hath seen me hath seen the Father (Joh.14:9). In other words, Jesus manifested His Father. He was a seed which was in line with His Father, and we have to also be such a seed. The fruit in us has to also be a seed, which is in line with our Father's Word. There is an example in Leviticus 19 that points this out pretty well: (Lev.19:19) Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with two kinds of seed…. In other words, each seed brings forth after its own kind; you don't want a mixture here. I remember my father-in-law told me one time about how he planted a row of hot peppers too close to a row of bell peppers and his bell peppers became hot. I can imagine, in some cases, hot bell peppers might be pretty handy, but if you want bell peppers, you want bell peppers. What the Father is looking for is Jesus. He's not interested in anything else. He has planted that seed in His field and He wants Christ. (Joh.3:13) … No one hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended out of heaven…. The Lord wants Jesus, so we don't want two kinds of seed sown in our field, because this is going to be a mixture; it's not going to be the fruit of Christ. Any mixture takes away from the fruit of Christ. (Lev.19:19) … Neither shall there come upon thee a garment of two kinds of stuff mingled together. That's a good example of “putting on the works of Christ” along with putting on our own works. “Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to [fulfil] the lusts [thereof]” (Rom.13:14). The problem is making sure that the seed is the true seed of the Father, which is the Word of God, making sure that we hold fast to the seed, and making sure that we don't have a spiritually-miscarrying womb. Leviticus 15 speaks about that in another verse: (Lev.15:19) And if a woman have an issue, [and] her issue in her flesh be blood (notice that it doesn't say “in her body”; it purposely says, “in her flesh”), she shall be in her impurity seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even. This is a parable and, therefore, types and shadows. There's nothing unclean about the natural thing that this is speaking about. But the spiritual revelation here is that it's very unclean. (1Co.10:11) Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come. So what we see here is something concerning a miscarrying womb, because of the issue of blood, where what's in the blood represents our nature. (Lev.17:11) For the life of the flesh is in the blood…. The life, the nature, the soul (“soul” is sometimes translated in the New Testament as “nature”) has been passed on to a person through the blood of their parents. This nature of the “old man” is our enemy; it's the whole problem we're fighting against. It's struggling with us and there's a war going on, but the Blood of Jesus represents His life, His nature, His soul, and bearing fruit is to bear the fruit of the Spirit and soul of Christ in us. That is what the Word manifesting itself in us is all about. We see here that, if a woman has an issue of blood in her flesh, this is impurity. Why? Because the blood of the old life washes away the seed, and the seed doesn't bear fruit. The woman is not fertile. In fact, it says here that she will be impure for seven days. She's not going to be fertile until the eighth day. The eighth day is a new beginning. So in a spiritual way (the verse is not talking about natural women), the “women” spoken of refers to sects and divisions of God's people, as Scripture speaks about them. (Isa.4:1) And seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name…. These “women” are the seven churches doing their own thing. Women can also be local churches. (2Ti.3:5) Holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof: from these also turn away. (6) For of these are they that creep into houses, and take captive silly women laden with sins, led away by divers lusts, (7) ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. So they're studying, studying, studying. They continue receiving seed, but they're never coming to the knowledge of the truth. It happens all the time. “Silly women,” as the Scripture calls them, these sects of God's people who don't grow up in Him are led captive by these men making disciples of themselves. (Lev.15:19) … She shall be in her impurity seven days…. (Mat.15:6) … Ye have made void (“of no effect”) the word of God because of your tradition. We see from this that the blood of the woman represents her carnal nature, by which she rejects the seed of Christ (the Word of God), the seed that is to bring forth the life and nature and fruit of the Husband. The Jews were doing just that. They were like a menstruating woman, who were not going to bring forth fruit, because their old nature had determined that they were going to walk after their traditions – those things that were pleasing to their natural life and to their flesh. Therefore, when the Word of God comes along, which sometimes is crucifying to the “old man,” they reject it. It gets washed away by their own nature. Jesus rebuked them and He told them, Not that which entereth into the mouth defileth the man; but that which proceedeth out of the mouth, this defileth the man (Mat.15:11). Their thinking was coming out of their mouth. That was what was defiling them because they were rejecting the true Word of God. They were making of no effect the Word of God by their tradition, making the seed ineffectual in bringing forth any fruit. (Lev.15:19) And if a woman have an issue, [and] her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be in her impurity seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even. Note that the word used here for “unclean” is the same word for “defiled.” Remember Revelation 14:4: “the firstfruits unto God and unto the Lamb.” It says they “were not defiled with women.” This is talking about them not being defiled with those sects of God's people who are rejecting the true Seed of God. If we're not holding fast the Word, then we're washing it away with our own unclean, fallen nature. (Lev.17:11) For the life of the flesh is in the blood…. As we read on down, we see: (Lev.15:24) And if any man lie with her, and her impurity be upon him, he shall be unclean seven days…. Well, we know who it is who “lieth” with these women. It is those who are supposed to be sowing the Seed of the Lord. Paul said, For though ye have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet [have ye] not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I begat you through the gospel (1Co.4:15). In other words, Paul sowed the Seed of the Lord God, and it brought forth the fruit of Jesus in those early disciples, and so on. But we see here that those who lie with the woman who was not willing to give up her old life, to give fertile ground to the seed, then that man is unclean, too. (2Ti.3:6) For of these are they that creep into houses, and take captive silly women laden with sins, led away by divers lusts, (7) ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Jesus said the same thing, “Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to the rest in parables; that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand” (Luk.8:10). Jesus wasn't going to sow the seed in that infertile ground. He wasn't going to give the true Word of God to those people who had no respect for it, and who would just wash it away, like throwing pearls before swine. It's that same way today. The true Word of God will not be received by many apostate Christians, and a person wastes their time trying to give it to them. Those apostate Christians will disrespect God's Word and will cast it to the ground. So the woman with an issue is going to stay in her impurity and the man who sows seed in her is going to stay in his impurity seven days. These people have the unscriptural idea that they're going to escape by flying away and miss the seven days of the Tribulation. They're not going to do it. (Lev.15:28) But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean. We're coming to the time when people need to be cleansed so that at the end of the seven days (the seven-year Tribulation), they'll be ready to meet the Lord. (Lev.15:29) And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons, and bring them unto the priest, to the door of the tent of meeting. (30) And the priest shall offer the one for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make atonement for her before the Lord for the issue of her uncleanness. (31) Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness, that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that is in the midst of them. Now we see here that we're talking about a defiling of a tabernacle, a body of God's people, a temporary temple of God's people. This tabernacle is being defiled because they've cast the Word of God to the ground. They have been caught up in the traditions of men, so that their own opinions and their own ideas are more important to them than receiving the Seed of the Word. I'm reminded of this: (Isa.32:9) Rise up, ye women that are at ease, [and] hear my voice; ye careless daughters, give ear unto my speech. (10) For days beyond a year shall ye be troubled, ye careless women; for the vintage shall fail, the ingathering shall not come. The ingathering harvest (the Rapture) that they're all expecting to be at the beginning of the seven days won't come until the end of the seven days. Why? Because they're defiled. The vintage did not bear fruit. (11) Tremble, ye women that are at ease; be troubled, ye careless ones; strip you, and make you bare (in other words, take off those mixed garments), and gird [sackcloth] upon your loins. And when does He say they are going to bear fruit? (15) Until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be esteemed as a forest. The wilderness is called the Tribulation in Revelation chapters 12 and 17. The “firstfruits” in Revelation 14 “were not defiled with women.”  So we see these women who are defiled, have to go through the Great Tribulation in order to be purified. God's plan is going to be fulfilled. For those of you who are walking undefiled now, that's great, and praise be to God when we come to respect God's Word above our own thinking and the traditions of men. It's going to take a pure Word. Jesus said to these people, “ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world” (Joh.8:23). We can't have the mixture of two seeds in our field. There can only be one seed that is not of this world and brings forth the fruit of Jesus Christ. Remember the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares? The word there for “seed” is the word sperma, letting us know this is not just talking about plants here. The Word, sperma, is what's going to bring forth this wheat. When a person sows good seed in their field, the Lord's sperma is there. Who sowed those tares among the wheat? Jesus said, “an enemy hath done this” (Mat.13:28). There's not supposed to be two seeds sown in the same field. The field, here is in the Kingdom of God on this earth. But in our life, it's up to us to make sure we cast down the bad seed, which is, “imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God” (2Co.10:5). Receive only and hold fast to the good seed because the good seed will bring forth the birth. In Luke 8, we're told, (Luk.8:15) … that in the good ground, these are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it fast, and bring forth fruit with patience. I pointed out that in the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares, the Lord used the word sperma. The sperma only brings forth after the nature of the Father, so that's using a human analogy. Jesus does the same thing again in this chapter: (21) But he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these that hear the word of God, and do it. Jesus also said, (Mat.7:24) Every one therefore that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them, shall be likened unto a wise man, who built his house upon the rock. And He said that the wind and the storm and the rain that comes will not tear down that house because it's built on the Rock (verse 25). So we see that to be Jesus' brother, we must be from the same Father and through the same “mother.” And to be His mother, we must bear the same fruit. We must bear the fruit of Jesus Christ. His fruit must be born in us. We must hold fast to the Seed of the Word of God, so that His fruit will be born in us. When the disciples came to Him and they said, “Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee” (Luk.8:20), He responded, (Mar.3:33) “Who is my mother and my brethren?” He always wanted to bring things to a spiritual level. (34) And looking round on them that sat round about him, he saith, Behold, my mother and my brethren! (35) For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. We have another example in Luke 11 of a woman on a natural level who came to Jesus: (Luk.11:27) And it came to pass, as he said these things, a certain woman out of the multitude lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the breasts which thou didst suck. (28) But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. This woman could have been a Mariolater, of Mariolatry in our day. It was important to her to know who the physical mother of Jesus was, but He said, “No, that's not important,” because God could have picked anybody to do that, in that she was the mother of His flesh, not the mother of His spiritual “man.” The important thing is that this parable is fulfilled in our day. Who should bring forth Christ now? Those who hear the Word of God and keep it. So when we think about the mother of Jesus, Jesus applies this to us. In Isaiah 7, we see this parable: (Isa.7:14) Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign (The word “sign” here is owth and it means “omen,” which is a sign of something to come. Now this is the sign of something to come.): behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son…. How is it that Mary was a sign of something to come? Most importantly, she was a virgin. There was no seed of man; it was the seed of God that brought forth the fruit of Jesus Christ in her. In Revelation 12, we see what appears to be a virtuous woman with the 12 stars around her head, standing on the moon (in other words, reflecting the light of the Son), and she's clothed with the sun (she has put on the Lord Jesus Christ), and she's bringing forth, or birthing, the “man-child.” So, that woman must be a virgin. Just to fulfill the type and the shadow, she has to be a group of people who are rejecting the word of man. They're rejecting the seed, or sperma, of man. She must be a virgin. So, therefore, in these end-times, at the time of the birthing of the man-child, there is a group of people who are rejecting the seed of men. There are two things about that little parable in Revelation 12: one, I think, that is individual and the other that is corporate. Each one of us, as the mother of Christ, must be rejecting the seed of man: what man has to say, what man has to think, what this man in whom we walk thinks and believes with his sight and with his feelings, and so on. We're to reject those things in order to believe, to stand on, and to hold fast to only the Word of God, so that it bears fruit. Corporately, there is a body of people who are at this time rejecting the words of man, the seeds of man, and they will bring forth a corporate man-child who is the firstfruits of those who walk in the steps of Jesus Christ in the coming days. We see here that this sign is that they have to be a virgin: (14) … A virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (God with us). Jesus wasn't just with them; He's just as much with us. He is still Immanuel, God with us. In fact, every Christian carries Jesus, as God, with them, because they're all pregnant with Jesus. They have all been pregnant with Jesus because of the Word of God, to which they highly respect and hold fast. They're going to bring forth His fruit. In Luke 1, we see the story of Mary, which is that sign. The angel Gabriel came and appeared to Mary, saying to her, (Luk.1:28) … Hail, thou that art highly favored (or, indued with grace), the Lord [is] with thee. This is very similar to what we saw about “Immanuel” or “God with us.” “The Lord” here is the word kurios, which is “lord” or “master,” and is used all through the New Testament. The Will of the Lord (Who is “God with us”) is being fulfilled through the type and shadow of Mary in His church and in His people, because everyone who hears and does the Word of God is like Mary. They are like His mother. Then Gabriel says, (30) … Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor (or grace) with God. Mary wasn't the person that a lot of Mariolatry religions want to make her out to be. She had to have grace; she had to be saved; she had to be filled with the Spirit, and she had other children after Jesus, after she fulfilled this type. It goes on: (31) And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb (this is the Word of the Lord going through the angel Gabriel, God's leading messenger angel), and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS (which originally meant “YHWH is salvation”). He is “Immanuel” – “God with us” (Isaiah 7:14) but the promise to Mary, as the mother of Jesus, was that she would bear the fruit of Jesus. This was the promise, and that's the promise to us, too. The Bible says the same thing about us, that we will bear His fruit: (32) He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. Once again, a firstfruit is coming forth in this day who will sit in the throne of David. It is Jesus Christ in a body of David, just like it happened in Luke at that time. (33) And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (34) And Mary said unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? Well, there it is. We see she had not known a man; it was not a man's seed that would bring forth this Son of God, obviously. Each seed brings forth after its own kind. If it's the seed of man, the only thing she could have would be man. Jesus said, “Ye are from beneath; I am from above” (Joh.8:23). He is born from above. No seed of man can bring forth anything from above, and so, she knew not a man. She was a virgin. (Luk.1:35) And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power (dunamis) of the Most High shall overshadow thee: wherefore also [it says in the Numerics, “that which is born”] shall be called holy, the Son of God. That's a better translation than in the ASV text, which reads, (35) … wherefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God. (36) And behold, Elisabeth thy kinswoman, she also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her that was called barren. The next verse is very enlightening, especially in the original wording, which says, (37) For no word from God shall be void of power. You see, Mary had a Word from God, a Word that by itself could bring forth in her the Son of God. Now I know some translations say, “Nothing shall be impossible with God,” but the word here is “no word (rhema) from God shall be void of power (paI dunateo).” “Impossible” does not represent the original wording there. Everything that God says has the power; it is the Seed that has the power to bring forth itself in a fertile womb. So the Word of God in our heart has the power to bring forth Jesus Christ in us. It is His sperma. It has the power. All we have to do is give it fertile ground. We are Mary if we give the Word of God, which comes down out of heaven, which is not from man, fertile ground. And what did Mary say? (38) And Mary said, Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word…. In other words, she was in agreement with the Word of God. “Let it be so, Lord.” “Just as You say.” “I agree with that.” “I accept that, Lord.” Many people today are just washing the seed away. They argue with the Word of God, thinking that they have a right to their own opinion. We don't have a right to have our own opinion – we're dead. Dead men don't have their own opinions. We died with Christ and He now lives in us. We have His opinion, so believe what He says. Mary was in agreement with the Word that came from the Lord. Every word from God is powerful. It has the power to bring forth what it says. (38) … And the angel departed from her. She said, “be it unto me according to thy” rhema, and he “departed from her.” (39) And Mary arose in these days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah; (40) and entered into the house of Zacharias and saluted Elisabeth. (41) And it came to pass, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit; (42) and she lifted up her voice with a loud cry, and said, Blessed [art] thou among women, and blessed [is] the fruit of thy womb. And the same is true today: blessed is the fruit of the womb of this natural life that brings forth the fruit of Christ. (43) And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come unto me? (44) For behold, when the voice of thy salutation came into mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. (45) And blessed [is] she that believed; for there shall be a fulfilment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord. The things that were spoken to her from the Lord, the Word of God, shall not be void of power. And, because she believed, there was a fulfillment of the words of God – all the words of God. Many Christians believe that these words of God are just naturally going to be fulfilled. However, they won't be fulfilled if a person doesn't have faith. The Word of God has power, but Mary had to agree with what was promised to her by the Word of the Lord: (45) And blessed [is] she that believed; for there shall be a fulfilment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord. Yes, the Lord says, For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified (Heb.10:14), but there may never be a fulfillment of that for us, unless we believe, as Mary did. Belief gives fertile ground to the seed, which will bear fruit when a person agrees with it, accepts it and walks in it by faith. We fight a battle with the devil, who has an ally, the old carnal nature, working with him and against us. The devil can steal the seed because he has agreement in the carnal nature, which washes the seed away. The carnal nature won't let that seed be held fast, so that it can bear fruit. We're like Mary only if we hold to the Word of God, as 2 Thessalonians says: (1:10) When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that believed (because our testimony unto you was believed) in that day. Why? “[O]ur testimony unto you was believed.” Jesus is coming to be glorified in His people because that testimony of “Christ in you, the hope of glory” will be believed “in that day.” This is talking about the time immediately before the coming of the Lord; look at the text. So, right before the coming of the Lord, God's people are once again going to believe in the Gospel that has been spoken to the “woman” church. Remember what Jesus said: (Mat.9:29) … According to your faith be it done unto you. (Mat.8:13) … As thou hast believed, [so] be it done unto thee. Do you believe that the seed of the promise of the Word of God can bring forth Jesus Christ in you? If you do, it will happen. We hear all the time in the churches that we can't be perfect, but there's no such verse in Scripture. We're going to read over and over in the Bible what it has to say about perfection before we're through with this teaching. What we have to agree with is, “Okay, Lord. You said it and I believe it. If, at the cross, You perfected me forever, as Hebrews 10 says, then I accept that Word. Be it unto Thy handmaid, according to the Word of the Lord.” Believe it; receive it. If God says it, it's yours. When you believe it, (Luk.1:45) Blessed [is] she that believed; for there shall be a fulfilment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord. We believe it. We receive it. In Colossians, we read, (Col.1:25) Whereof I was made a minister, according to the dispensation (or, the word is actually “stewardship”) of God which was given me to you-ward, to fulfil the word of God. In other words, even though God has made this promise, He sends forth ministers (a messenger) to share the truth of this revelation with us, just like the messenger who came to Mary. And it's the same message of “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Now, when we believe that, blessed are we who believe, for there shall be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to us from the Lord. Some people say, “Well, I don't believe that. We believe we're sinners saved by grace.” Now that's not in the Bible! That's a tradition. The Bible says, “He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified” (Heb.10:14). “Sanctified” means “separated from the world.” If we are separated from the world, then we believe what God says: (Col.1:25) … (A stewardship) of God, which was given me to you-ward, to fulfil the word of God, (26) [even] the mystery which hath been hid for ages and generations; but now hath it been manifested to his saints. So, in the time of Paul, the wonderful revelation that he was about to share was made known. And, though they lost it shortly after that, in our day, once again, it is being made known. And what is that wonderful revelation? (27) To whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We have no hope of glory outside of Christ in us. The seed brings forth the fruit of Jesus Christ. The part of us that was original, this old man, this old life, is just the dirt in which the seed was sown, but the seed is what brings forth Christ. Each of us must hold fast the seed and not be a miscarrying womb. (27) … Christ in you, the hope of glory: (Col.1:28) whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ. In other words, this is talking about manifestation. We preach the wonderful mystery of “Christ in you,” the holding fast of the seed of the Word, as the mother of the Son of God – being manifested in us and soon to be seen of men. “Present every man perfect in Christ.” Some may say, “But I thought we were already perfect?” Yes, we are by faith, and now Scripture is talking about manifesting that faith. Faith is the substance of the thing hoped for while the evidence is not yet seen, so faith gives us this substance, as a position in Christ, until the manifestation comes. It's like believing for a healing – it's a whole lot better to get one. The faith is just a meantime substance. God wants us to manifest that healing, that deliverance, that provision to us, and that is Christ in us! That is what we hold fast, what we're not shaken away from. We're not going to let the devil steal it from us. It's our right in Jesus Christ. Amen! Paul goes on to say, (29) whereunto I labor also, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily. The Lord is working in us to bring this to pass, as the Lord was working through Paul, His minister, to share this wonderful mystery, this revelation with the disciples in those days. Now we're entering into a time when God is going to share this wonderful revelation in these days with His people. He's going to work mightily through His ministers and He's going to work mightily through His people to manifest Christ in them. It's a wonderful revelation and it's a wonderful fulfillment! Christ is once again going to walk in this earth because God's people are going to believe. (2Th.1:10) When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that believed (because our testimony unto you was believed) in that day. Paul was saying that he didn't think it was completely believed in his day: “Our testimony unto you was believed … in that day.” In other words, God is going to share special grace with His people to believe once again this mystery of “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Glory to God! We are the mother of Christ! We hear and do the Word of God. We're not hearers deluding ourselves, beholding our natural face in the mirror: (2Co.3:18) But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. We accept from the beginning that Christ now lives in us, that we no longer live. We accept it by faith, and because we accept it by faith, God says it is going to be manifested. So glory be to God! This is the perfection that we have in Christ and it will be manifested through us as we abide in Christ. This is “that perfection.” Also, we have this word: (Luk.8:14) And that which fell among the thorns, these are they that have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of [this] life, and bring no fruit to perfection. The word “perfection” here is a strange word not used anywhere else in the Bible. It's the word telesphoreo. There's a common word for “perfection” – teleios – but this word is telesphoreo and it means “to bring to perfection” or “end in view.” In other words, we have to see the end from the beginning. We have to call these things that be not as though they were. We're “beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord” (to look in the mirror and see Jesus; that's having farsightedness) and “are transformed into” that “same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit.” And Paul prefaces that with, “But we all, with unveiled face,” so this telesphoreo we see from the beginning. We're seeing it, accepting it and we're walking toward it, and we're going to receive it by faith. Isn't it awesome? This is God's promise to us! Oh, praise be to God! Listen, saints, get into the Word of God. It's the only thing that brings forth Jesus. Love the Lord. Don't be distracted. Cast down the words of man.

Ever felt utterly alone, like you're facing a battle no one sees? You're not the first. In those moments when life feels lonely, when you're asking, 'Where are You, God?' – what if the answer wasn't a place, but a promise? As we dive deep into the heart of God's presence, what if knowing He's always with you could change everything? How would your fears, your doubts, your very next step look different? If you've ever questioned God's presence in your toughest times, discover the God who is Immanuel – God with us.

Are you walking through a season of struggle, doubt, or spiritual dryness? Do you feel like you're in a valley of hopelessness? You're not alone—God is with you in the valley.In this sermon, we dive into Ezekiel 37:1-14 and Isaiah 7:14 to see how God breathes life into dry places, restores hope to the broken and fulfills His promise to be Immanuel—God with us. The valley is not the end of the story—resurrection is coming!

Pastor Will Brocker's message, titled "Our Humble Savior," at Grace and Truth Church. Isaiah 7:14 AMP — “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Listen carefully, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will call his name Immanuel (God with us).”

A Sermon for the First Sunday after Christmas Isaiah 7-9 & St. Matthew 1:18-25 by William Klock The Prophet Isaiah made his way along the dusty track across the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem.  His young son walked beside him as they followed the Siloam Channel that carried water from an ancient rock-cut pool into to the city.  That's where the Lord had told Isaiah he would meet the King, Ahaz.  He was to go there to declare the word of the Lord to the King and he was to take his young son with him, whom the Lord had told him to name Shear-jashub.  The name means “a remnant shall return”.  A way of saying that God would not let his people be obliterated by their enemies.  Isaiah's son was, himself, part of the prophetic message.  And there was the King.  Ahaz was looking over the great stones, carved and set a thousand years before by the Canaanites who had founded Jerusalem.  It was the city's water supply and Isaiah could see the concern on the King's face.  Those were dark days.  Seven-hundred-and-thirty years before Jesus was born.  The Assyrian Empire to the east was the great power of the day and claimed the small western powers like Judah, Israel, and Syria as its own.  The King of Israel, in particular, was in a tough spot.  To pay the tribute he owed to the Assyrians he levied an enormous tax on the rich.  Rich people don't like being heavily taxed and they were on the verge of revolt.  At the moment, the King of Assyria was busy fighting in the north, so the King of Israel made an alliance with the King of Syria and the two of them approached Ahaz.  They wanted Judah to join their alliance.  Together, maybe, they could throw off the heavy Assyrian yoke.  They'd done it a hundred years before.  Together, maybe, they could do it again. But Ahaz was afraid.  He knew what would happen if they lost.  And so he refused to join the alliance.  But Israel and Syria wouldn't take no for an answer.  They laid siege to Jerusalem.  If Ahaz wouldn't join up with them, they would defeat him and put their own puppet king on the throne of Judah.  And so, that day, King Ahaz was out surveying Jerusalem's water supply.  Would it survive the siege?  He was worried.  And that's where Isaiah and Shear-jashub met him.  Isaiah was afraid, too.  Ahaz had a reputation.  Both 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles tell us that he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord.  Instead of following in the footsteps of his “father” David, he walked in the ways of the evil kings of Israel.  He was a weak, fearful, and vacillating king.  Instead of trusting the Lord to deal with Israel and Syria, he aligned himself with Assyria.  A few years later, after visiting the temples of the Assyrian capital, he would remove various furnishings from the temple in Jerusalem in order to make room for a pagan altar like the ones he'd seen there.  He was a wicked king who would lead God's people into idolatry.  Confronting a king with the word of the Lord is never an easy thing to do, but confronting an ungodly king with the word of the Lord was even more difficult.  Think of John the Baptist, seven hundred years later, landing in Herod's prison for declaring the word of the Lord.  But unlike the King who trusted in horses and chariots and in foreign gods and kings more than he trusted in the Lord, Isaiah's faith was unwavering.  And he met the King and, nervous as he surely was, he declared the word of the Lord with power and authority.  “Do not be afraid”.  This alliance of Israel and Syria and their siege, the Lord said: “It shall not stand”.  The Lord was urging the king to trust in him.  He also said, through Isaiah, “If you do not stand firm in faith, you shall not stand at all.” And to guarantee his promise to the King, the Lord gave Ahaz a sign.  Through Isaiah he said to him: Behold, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.  He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good.  For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.   What the Lord was saying to Ahaz was, “Look.  Trust in me.  Don't trust in horses, don't trust in chariots, don't trust in pagan kings and pagan gods.  Trust in me and I will take care of you.  I am your God and you are my people.  I promised David that his descendants would sit on Judah's throne forever and neither Israel, nor Syria, nor the Assyrians will undermine my promise.”  The Lord had Isaiah mention a young woman, a maiden.  We don't know who this girl was, but it had to be someone known to the king.  Maybe the queen or one of the princesses in the court.  Whoever it was, Isaiah tells the king that she's going to have a child and he is to be named Immanuel.  Immanuel means “God is with us”.  And the Lord tells the king that by the time this child is eating solid food, by the time he's old enough to know the difference between good and evil, he, the Lord himself, will put an end to the threat posed by the kings of Israel and Syria.  Again: Don't trust in horses.  Don't trust in chariots.  Don't trust in pagan kings and pagan gods.  Trust in the Lord and walk with him.  He is with you. But that wasn't the end of it.  The Lord later sent Isaiah back to the king.  This time a woman referred to as “the prophetess”—probably Isaiah's wife—had borne a son named Maher-shalal-hash-baz, which means “the spoil speeds, the prey hastens”.  The Lord's message was again for Ahaz to trust in him.  Before this child was old enough to say the words “father” and “mother” the Lord would deal with the threat of Israel and Syria.  Again, don't trust in pagan kings and pagan gods, trust in the Lord.  “God is with us,” declared Isaiah.  “The Lord of hosts, him you shall regard as holy; let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.  He will become a sanctuary, a stone one strikes against; for both houses of Israel he will become a rock one stumbles over—a trap and a snare for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” Now, is the Lord faithful?  Does he do what he promises?  Of course.  What the Lord promised was exactly what happened.  In a short time the king of Assyria crushed Syria and Israel.  The northern Jewish kingdom was destroyed and the people scattered.  The Lord delivered the people of Judah.  Ahaz, not surprisingly being the wicked king he was, made an alliance with Assyria anyway and brought the worship of the Assyrian gods to Israel.  But his son, Hezekiah, saw what the Lord had done.  Hezekiah, when he succeeded his father, trusted the Lord and spent his reign trying to undo the evil his father had done.  When the Assyrians laid siege to Jerusalem thirty years later and the enemy soldiers taunted the Judahites to give up on their God and the enemy commander delivered a letter demanding Hezekiah's surrender, Hezekiah took that letter to the temple and knelt in prayer before the Lord.  He entrusted himself and his people to the God he knew to be faithful.  And that night the Lord unleashed a plague on the Assyrian army that wiped them out. More often than not, when the New Testament writers wanted to recall the Lord's faithfulness or the Lord's deliverance, they drew on the story of the Exodus.  It makes sense.  The Exodus was the great story of the Lord's faithfulness to his promises and of his deliverance of his people.  It set the pattern.  But it wasn't the only story in Israel's history that puts the Lord's faithfulness and deliverance on display.  As St. Matthew tells us about the birth of Jesus in today's Gospel, he quotes from Isaiah's prophesy to Ahaz in order to put Jesus in perspective.  Remember that Matthew was writing his Gospel for the benefit of his fellow Jews and so he regularly recalls their scriptures and their story to show that what the God of Israel was doing in Jesus was part of their story—in fact, that what God was doing in and through Jesus was the culmination of the story of Israel. And so Matthew reminds the people that when Jesus was born, his people were living in dark days—not all that unlike the dark days of Isaiah and Ahaz.  They'd returned from exile in Babylon, but they were still ruled by foreign, pagan kings.  It was like the exile had never really ended.  Most notably, the Lord's presence had never returned to the temple.  God was absent and the people longed for his return, not just because he would set everything to rights, but so that they could again live in his presence.  And so it should be no wonder that Matthew pulls this story about the baby, Immanuel, “God with us”, that he pulls it out from Israel's past and into the present day. So Matthew begins his Gospel with the genealogy of Joseph.  I used to read that genealogy as a kid, stumbling through all the names, and wondered why it was so important.  In part, Matthew wanted to show the kingly lineage of Joseph.  Even though he wasn't an important man, he was a descendant of Abraham and of David.  But at least as important as that is the way Matthew selectively structures his genealogy.  As he says in verse 17: fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen generations from David to the Exile, and fourteen generations from the Exile to the Messiah.  Seven symbolised completion, so six times seven and now, as the seventh seven is about to begin, Jesus is born—the climax of the whole list, the one whom Israel had awaited for two thousand years.  As Paul puts it in our Epistle from Galatians: “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son.” The Old Testament, Israel's scriptures, over and over and over and over—above everything else—highlights the faithfulness of God to his promises.  There are all sorts of themes that run through the Old Testament, but above them all, pulling them all together, is the faithfulness of God.  Humans are fickle—the story also makes that clear—but God is faithful and worthy of our trust, worthy of our worship, worthy of our loyalty and allegiance.  And, after setting out Joseph's divinely orchestrated genealogy, Matthew launches into the story itself in verse 18: This was how the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place.  His mother, Mary, was engaged to Jospeh; but before they came together she turned out to be pregnant—by the Holy Spirit.  Joseph, her husband-to-be— was an upright man.  He didn't want to make a public example of her, so he decided to set the marriage aside privately. It's not hard to imagine the disappointment, the embarrassment, even the shame that Joseph felt.  “It's not another man,” Mary told him.  “I'm pregnant by the Holy Spirit.  That's what the angel told me.  I don't understand how it can be, but he told me that this child is the Messiah.” Joseph knew where babies come from.  This was going to bring shame on him and so, Matthew says, Joseph made plans to quietly separate from Mary—to break off the engagement.  Hopefully he could distance himself from the whole fiasco, save some face, move on with life, and maybe find someone more respectable to marry. But then the angel appeared to Joseph.  “Joseph, son of David!” the angel greeted him.  Joseph was a descendant of King David, but so were a lot of people.  This was the first time anyone had ever addressed Joseph as if he were a prince.  But the angel's making a point: Joseph is part of the royal family—the family from which the Messiah would come.  “Joseph, don't be afraid to follow through with this marriage to Mary.  She wasn't lying when she told you she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit.  She's not crazy.  A miracle has really happened.  She's going to have a son.  And, listen, when he's born, you are to name him ‘Jesus'.  Why?  Because he's the one who will save his people from their sins.” If we're paying really close attention, we might notice that the way Matthew tells the story parallels the story of Isaiah going to meet King Ahaz—to declare the word of the Lord.  Matthew reminds us that Joseph is a descendant of that same royal family.  “Don't be afraid” he declares.  A child is about to be born and you're going to name him Jesus.  You're going to name him “Yahweh saves”.  Maybe we miss the parallels.  As we say, “Explain it to me like I'm five years old.”  And so Matthew makes it very plain in verse 22: All this happened so that what the Lord said through the prophet might be fulfilled: “Behold, the virgin is pregnant, and will have a son, and they shall give him the name Immanuel,” which means, in translation, “God with us”.   He makes this connection explicitly clear, because as best we can tell, no one before Matthew had ever thought of Isaiah's prophecy being fulfilled in the birth of the coming Messiah.  No one had ever made that connection, because everyone knew that Isaiah's prophecy was fulfilled in the days of King Ahaz.  Everyone knew that.  It was actually Matthew, knowing what Isaiah had said and the history that surrounded that prophecy, it was Matthew who saw there a sort of prefiguring of Jesus.  Paul wasn't the only Jew who, when confronted with the risen Jesus, went back and rethought all of Israel's story with him in mind.  Matthew did it too. When people said to Matthew, “You fool!  Don't you know where babies come from?  The Lord doesn't work this way!”  Matthew pointed back to Isaiah and said, “You wanna bet?  The Lord does work this way.  In fact, he's been working this way all through the history of our people.  Our story and all the little details that God has been working out were pointing to this, like little lights along a tunnel, and now those little lights have led us out in the blinding light of the sun—except the light is God and those little glimpses he's given of himself have finally led us to this place where—in Jesus—we see his glory blazing forth in all its brightness.  I can imagine Matthew, talking with his fellow Jews, and pointing them back to the characters and the stories they knew so well and showing how they were little lights, little bits of God's glory revealed, leading them through the darkness to the glorious day of Jesus.  This story of Ahaz and Isaiah and the baby Immanuel pointing forward to the day when “God with us” wouldn't just be the prophetic name of a royal baby boy, but when a royal baby boy would be born who would literally be “God with us”.  How the story of Abraham taking Isaac up the mountain to sacrifice him and the Lord providing a ram in Isaac's place, how that story prefigured and prepared the people for the cross, where the Lord gave his only and beloved Son to die in the place of his sinful people.  How the giving of the law and the building of the tabernacle were but lights pointing forward to the day when the Lord would pour out his Spirit on his people.  How even the Exodus and the Passover—the great and defining events of Israel's story—are now, in the light of Jesus, but little candles along the way, preparing the people for the day when the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus would deliver the people, not just from the oppression of a pagan king, but from the dominion of sin and death. So Matthew's point is this: We need to understand the story of Jesus—his birth, his life, his death, his resurrection, his ascension, his lordship—everything we sum up in that acclamation during the Lord's Supper when we say, “Christ has died.  Christ is risen.  Christ will come again.”—Matthew wants us to know that this isn't some new story that stands all by itself.  He wants us to know that it's the continuation of the great story of the God of Israel and his people, the long story that goes all the way back to Abraham.  And not just that, but that it's the culmination of that story.  Remember I said that the great overarching theme of that big story is the faithfulness of God.  Ever since Abraham, God has been calling people to trust him.  We live in a world broken by sin and death.  We all know it's not supposed to be this way.  And so we try to fix it.  And there are all sorts of ideas out there about how to do that.  Pray to this god.  Follow that philosophy.  And into the midst of the darkness and the chaos the Lord reveals himself and says: Leave your idols and follow me. But why would we?  What could ever inspire a person to abandon Zeus or Baal for the God of Israel?  What could ever inspire a person to give up the philosophy of Plato or Epicurus for the God of Israel?  What would inspire our ancestors to stop worshipping oak trees or ancestors?  Brothers and Sisters, it's the story—the story that reminds us over and over and over and over that this Lord is faithful—that he does what he says.  And we see it first and foremost as it all comes together in Jesus.  In him we see the loving character of God as he gives himself to fulfil his promises for the sake of his people.  And in Jesus we see the Lord setting this word to rights.  The very thing that all the other gods and philosophies promise, but can never deliver—a new age, a new creation—Brothers and Sisters, the Lord has delivered it in the death and resurrection of Jesus: the defeat of sin and death and new life.  Immanuel—“God with us”.  For real.  Fulfilling his promises as he plunges us into the life of his Spirit in our baptism.  Showing he is worthy of our faith, our trust, our loyalty, our allegiance, our worship.  When Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me,” he's pointing back to that story of God's faithfulness, back to all those lights along the way in the darkness that have led us to him—to the full brightness of God's blazing glory and saying, “Trust me.” Let us pray: Almighty God, you have given your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and to be born of a pure virgin:  Grant that we, who have been born again and made your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with you and the same Spirit be honour and glory, now and for ever.  Amen.

In this exhortation, Pastor Mike Schumann explains the meaning of “God with us.” God is with us in that He is for us. For our life, for our joy, for our good. Let's wholeheartedly grasp the reality of Immanuel – God with us.

In this episode of Small Beginnings with Sara, we're leaning into the beautiful truth of Immanuel—God with us. Through some of my favorite scriptures, like Colossians 1:9-14 and Isaiah 9:6-7, we'll chat about how to let go of holiday stress, stop chasing perfection, and find true peace in Jesus.We'll reflect on questions like: What's bringing you the most peace right now? What's your biggest stress? And how can we walk hand-in-hand with the Prince of Peace this season?Let's take a deep breath, pray together, and celebrate the joy and hope that Christmas brings. I'm so glad you're here—Merry Christmas! ❤️✨

Today we will look at the theological depth of the Christmas carol “O Come O Come Emmanuel” through the lens of Matthew 1:22-23. We will focus on the understanding of “Immanuel” (God with us) and its significance in God's redemptive plan. Jesus, being fully God and fully man, came to rescue us from sin and adopt us into God's family. The incarnation shows us that we weren't created to serve a distant God but to walk with a loving Father. WATCH FULL SERVICE ON YOUTUBE DOWNLOAD PDF SERMON NOTES HERE

“Immanuel…God with us!” That phrase changes everything. Join us as we celebrate Christmas Eve at Crossroads!

Life is full of challenges, especially in the Christmas season. For many of us, they can be even more overwhelming when we feel like we are all alone. The truth of Christmas is that no matter where we are or what we're going through, we are never alone when we have Jesus. Listen in as we celebrate Christmas Eve and discover what “Immanuel (God with us)” really means.

Christmas Day - Emmanuel—God With UsScripture: Matthew 1:23 (NIV)"The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel' (which means 'God with us')."Merry Christmas! We've arrived at the culmination of our Advent journey. Remember how in Star Wars, with Luke Skywalker they have as the title says “A New Hope” for the galaxy? In a far greater way, Jesus' birth is God stepping into our world and giving us a new hope.Immanuel—God with us. Not distant, not detached, but here among us. This is the ultimate expression of love, the fulfillment of hope, peace, and joy we've been exploring.Prayer:Father, thank You for sending Jesus to be with us. As we celebrate today, let us carry the truth of Emmanuel in our hearts. May we live in the fullness of Your hope, peace, joy, and love. In Jesus' name, Amen.Thank you for journeying with me through these 25 days of Advent. As you celebrate Christmas, let's carry these reflections in our hearts. Love is not just a feeling; it's an action rooted in God's example.

In this final episode of Christmas Catalysts, we share a powerful reading from Emory's newest book, Unto Us a Child is Born. Journey with us as we explore the profound mystery of Immanuel - God with us. From Isaiah's 700-year-old prophecy to its fulfillment through young Mary, we delve into the incredible story of how the infinite God became finite, wrapping himself in humanity. Experience the wonder of the Christmas narrative as we contemplate the Word made flesh and discover the transformative gift of Jesus's constant presence in our lives. Whether you're seeking a deeper connection with Christ or encountering Him for the first time, this episode offers a beautiful reflection on the true meaning of Christmas and the miracle of God choosing to dwell among us. Connect with Kris Vallotton: Website: https://www.krisvallotton.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kvministries/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kvministries/ X: https://x.com/kvministries Additional Resources by Kris Vallotton: https://shop.bethel.com/collections/kris-vallotton About Kris Vallotton: Kris Vallotton is the Senior Associate Leader of Bethel Church, Redding, and is the Co-Founder of Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry (BSSM) and Spiritual Intelligence Institute. He is also the Founder and President of Moral Revolution and a sought-after international conference speaker. Kris and his wife, Kathy, have trained, developed, and pastored prophetic teams and supernatural schools all over the world.

Garth Heckman The David Alliance    TDAgiantSlayer@Gmail.com  Matthew 1:23  18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. 20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus,[i] for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord's message through his prophet: 23  “Look! The virgin will conceive a child!     She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel,[j]     which means ‘God is with us.'”   Immanuel - God is with us… he is here!    Jan. 12th, 2007 - 7:51am - Morning rush hour in a New York subway  Joshua Bell played 6 masterpieces on his 3.5 million Dollar Stradivarius violin.   “Three minutes went by before something happened. Sixty-three people had already passed when, finally, there was a breakthrough of sorts. A middle-age man altered his gait for a split second, turning his head to notice that there seemed to be some guy playing music. Yes, the man kept walking, but it was something. A half-minute later, Bell got his first donation. A woman threw in a buck and scooted off. It was not until six minutes into the performance that someone actually stood against a wall, and listened. Things never got much better. In the three-quarters of an hour that Joshua Bell played, seven people stopped what they were doing to hang around and take in the performance, at least for a minute. Twenty-seven gave money, most of them on the run -- for a total of $32 and change. That leaves the 1,070 people who hurried by, oblivious, many only three feet away, few even turning to look. “ $20 of that $32 was from the one person who recognized Bell, and who had just seen him play the night before at the Library of Congress, so the 26 givers among the 1096 commuters pitched in a whopping $12, including a lot of pennies. There was never a crowd, and the fears never materialized that there might be a need for extra security. So the moral or message of the story seems to be simply that commuters might have walked by the Mona Lisa also, and that you can't expect “random people” to notice and appreciate great art on their own without some kind of guidance, commentary or marketing. Even the title of the article hints at the expression “pearls before swine” that is the credo of elitism itself. It's hard for people to believe there is something amazing going on when there is no crowd, and nothing telling you to pay attention.  The 6 people who stopped to listen to Bell just thought he was good, but when interviewed later they admitted that they didn't realize how good, they just liked it. Lots of people stood in line to buy lottery tickets nearby and did not even glance his way, and of course the music fans with their iPod earbuds missed everything. Would you have noticed? Would I? There was apparently one guy, named John Picarello, who really noticed, and who spent 9 minutes listening to Bell, realizing full well how good he was. God actually had the same experiment… he sent his son to a world of millions…. Did anyone notice him?   HE'S HERE   HE'S HERE   HE'S HERE… DID YOU SEE HIM?   Immanuel -  to Isaiah Isaiah 7:14 King Ahaz is sinful, evil King and he has reigned in Judah for his own desires. Now he is going to get crushed by the Syrian nation and Isaiah comes to him and says… where you are at right now… Don't matter. This don't matter. For in time there will be a virgin, who gives birth to the Messiah, and he will be with us”. These Kings coming against you… they will be like cigarette butts in the gutter at the end of time… they will mean nothing.    Here is ONE way to put it: Is where you are at… is that what life is about? Drug dealer… is this what life is about? CEO Millionaire…is this what life is about? Single Mom struggling… is this what life is about? Prison inmate… High School Vixen or the HS nobody  The Professor The addict The single adult Is this what life is about….   None of this really matters - because Jesus is coming…  Back then it meant through a virgin, but now it means in the second coming.      PERSPECTIVE PEOPLE - Your life doesn't really matter - but Gods agenda does.    Thats hard to hear… James 4:14 your life is a vapor! 

Rejoice! He is here! Immanuel – God with us. We invite you to a special time of worship as we celebrate the birth of our Savior. Join us for one of two available Christmas Eve Service times. Services at 3:30 & 5pm 

Have you ever had a terrible Christmas? Do you find yourself getting caught up in making things look perfect, even though you're exhausted or feeling alone? When the Christmas season rolls around, we often forget the true miracle of Christmas. Join hosts Elisa Morgan, Eryn Eddy Adkins, and Vivian Mabuni as they trace the Lord's promises throughout Scripture to remind us of Immanuel, God with us. Join us for this special God Hears Her podcast Christmas Bible study.   Notes and Quotes:  “We have a hard time at Christmas, sometimes, because we don't have a very realistic view of it. We imagine it to be something magical, instead of it being something truly, divinely miraculous. When we understand the miracle of Christmas, it changes our ‘rotten'.” —Elisa Morgan “In the midst of the really hard, I can't really see the miraculous unless I'm with God. . .” —Vivian Mabuni “No matter the unpredictable Christmas I will get, I can rest knowing that the Lord will carry me through, and be there for me. —Eryn Eddy Adkins “When we pause long enough to imagine that this God of the universe, our Immanuel God, that He wants to have His presence within us. . . He promises His spirit within us to help us with what we need.” —Elisa Morgan   Verses:  Luke 1:39-56 Matthew 1:18-23 Genesis 26:3 Genesis 31:3 Exodus 3:12 Joshua 1:15 Isaiah 41:10 Isaiah 43:2 Jeremiah 1:8 Matthew 28:20 Romans 8:26-27 Luke 10:38-42   Links:  God Hears Her website: https://www.godhearsher.org/ God Hears Her email sign-up: https://www.godhearsher.org/sign-upsfmc  Subscribe on iTunes! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/god-hears-her-podcast/id1511046507?utm_source=applemusic&utm_medium=godhearsher&utm_campaign=podcast Carols of Christmas Video: Eryn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eryneddy/ Elisa's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elisamorganauthor/ Vivian's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vivmabuni/ Our Daily Bread Ministries website: https://www.odbm.org/   MB01LJ0CE2QUFNB

Whether our holidays are snowy or sunny—as they are for Steve Cuss as he records from Perth, Australia—the same thing is true: Christmas is a time to remember God's nearness to us. Steve looks to the text of Luke 2, exploring Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem and their quest for a place to stay. He describes the meaning behind the Greek word philoxenia (“love of the stranger”) and the Hebrew word Immanuel (“God with us”) and considers what those terms may mean for Christians today.  Ultimately, Steve encourages listeners to recognize that God is the ultimate host—welcoming us with love into a forever family. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Peculiar Treasures by Frederick Buechner “Six White Boomers” ​​Philoxenia Immanuel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At Christmas, we celebrate a profound journey—from Heaven to Earth. In this episode of The Verdict, Pastor John Munro explores the incredible truth that the eternal God entered our world to become one of us, examining what it means that Jesus is "Immanuel—God with us" and how this divine journey transforms our lives today.

Whether our holidays are snowy or sunny—as they are for Steve Cuss as he records from Perth, Australia—the same thing is true: Christmas is a time to remember God's nearness to us. Steve looks to the text of Luke 2, exploring Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem and their quest for a place to stay. He describes the meaning behind the Greek word philoxenia (“love of the stranger”) and the Hebrew word Immanuel (“God with us”) and considers what those terms may mean for Christians today.  Ultimately, Steve encourages listeners to recognize that God is the ultimate host—welcoming us with love into a forever family. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Peculiar Treasures by Frederick Buechner “Six White Boomers” ​​Philoxenia Immanuel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The beauty of God's character and nature shines forth in studying His Hebrew names. The truth that Jesus is "Immanuel"—God with us—will shift your outlook on life. His presence makes all the difference. Jesus is the answer to our loneliness, our brokenness, and our longings. Melissa Briggs has been teaching Hebrew for years, and she joins us to share her joy in learning!

Send us a textStep into Advent: A Fallow Beginning—a refreshing invitation to encounter the season of anticipation in a world that rarely pauses. This unique devotional urges a three-day digital fast, creating space to find God in silence and simplicity. Through the Gospel of Matthew, it reveals an Advent shaped by raw human experiences of fear, loneliness, and wonder, drawing readers into the depth of Christ's arrival in a broken world. Each day's reflection brings a gentle challenge to embrace less, to hear the quiet call of God, and to re-center on the profound reality of Immanuel—God with us.Support the show"Healing the City" is a profound and dynamic weekly podcast that dives into the complexities of creating healthier communities. Featuring the voices and perspectives of the esteemed members of the Village Church, each episode is thoughtfully crafted to address the challenges and opportunities for meaningful change in our cities. With a holistic approach to healing, the podcast explores a wide range of topics, from soul care and spiritual direction to mental health and community involvement. It provides listeners with insightful and thought-provoking perspectives on the issues facing our cities, as well as practical steps they can take to make a difference. Join hosts Corey Gilchrist, Eric Cepin, Ashley Cousineau, Jessica Dennes, Michael Cousineau, Mark Crawford, and Susan Cepin as they navigate the complexities of our communities with wisdom, grace, and a deep commitment to positive change. Through their engaging discussions, listeners will be inspired to become active participants in healing the city and creating a brighter, healthier future for all. The Village Churchvillagersonline@gmail.comThe Village Church meets at 10a and 5p on Sundays1926 N Cloverland Ave, Tucson AZ 85712Mail: PO Box 30790, Tucson AZ 85751

This week, we concluded our Advent series with the candle of Love. As we prepared for Christmas, we reflected on the profound truth that Jesus is Immanuel—God with us. From Isaiah's prophecy to its fulfillment in Jesus' birth, we see the depth of God's love, a love that moves Him to dwell among us, redeem us, and invite us into relationship with Him. This love is not just a feeling but a transformative force that compels us to love others with the same selfless devotion. As we celebrate His coming, may we be reminded that His love changes everything. More from Catch The Fire Raleigh Messages: https://ctfr.me/messages Music: https://ctfr.me/music Worship Moments: https://ctfr.me/worship Connect with us: Website: https://ctfraleigh.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/ctfraleigh Instagram: https://instagram.com/catchthefireraleigh Spotify: https://ctfr.me/spotify Apple Music: https://ctfr.me/applemusic Thank you for watching this video from Catch The Fire Raleigh. To support this ministry and help us continue to reach people all around the world, click here: https://ctfraleigh.com/give

The right response to Immanuel is adoration

Immanuel - God Is With Us Part 4 - Arab Campus How can we pray for you today or if you have a question: https://www.libertychurcharab.com/contact First Time Guest: https://www.libertychurcharab.com/first-time-guest 3 Ways to GIVE: GIVE by app: Liberty Church - US GIVE by mail: PO Box 274, Arab, AL 35016 GIVE by online link: https://www.libertychurcharab.com/give Message Notes: App: https://notes.subsplash.com/fill-in/view?page=S1gyhfmHJl&hints=true To receive TEXT or EMAILS with updates on our services sign up here: Text - https://mtxt.cc/list/join/256.217.5696/updates Email - https://www.libertychurcharab.com/email-updates

In a world overwhelmed by disappointment and pain, hope and healing are alive in Jesus, the King who serves. Today, we'll explore Matthew 12:15-21 and discover how Jesus displays strength through humility and service, bringing restoration instead of brokenness.If you've ever felt the weight of hopelessness or the sting of disappointment, this message is for you. Let's open our hearts, meet with Jesus, and find healing in His presence.

In this Advent message, Steve McKenzie takes us into the extraordinary story of Mary and Joseph from Matthew 1:18-23. When faced with unexpected circumstances, they encounter God's faithfulness and the fulfillment of His promise through the birth of Jesus, Immanuel—God with us.   This sermon reveals how God's promises bring peace and clarity even in life's uncertainties. If you're searching for hope or longing for the peace that only God can provide, this message will remind you of His unwavering faithfulness.   Listen now to experience the peace found in the promise fulfilled!

In this devotional message titled "Immanuel, God is With Us," we are encouraged that in spite of the chaos the world may face and the challenges we may experience, God is still with us.This was aired on Radio HCI Today

Today's Promise: Isaiah 7:14 The prophet Isaiah prophesied the birth of Jesus seven hundred years before Christ was born. Isaiah When the angel appeared to Joseph in Matthew 1, he quoted this prophecy and then added a definition of the word Immanuel: God with us. The promise of Christmas was that God moved from the temple to God walking among us. Because of the manger, God dwelt with His people. God is with you today. You are never alone and need never fear. He is only a prayer away.

Pastor Will Brocker's message, titled “Christmas Preparations,” at Grace and Truth Church. Isaiah 7:14 AMP — “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Listen carefully, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will call his name Immanuel (God with us).”

Today's Todd Coconato Show: "The True Heart of Christmas: Rediscovering God's Love, Presence, and Redemption" Website: www.PastorTodd.org To give: www.ToddCoconato.com/give Amidst the lights, gifts, and busyness of the Christmas season, it's easy to lose sight of what Christmas is truly about. Today, we're diving deep into the heart of Christmas—the gift of God's love, the coming of Immanuel—God with us, and the salvation brought through Jesus Christ. We'll explore: Why Jesus' birth is the ultimate expression of God's love and redemption. How we can focus on worship, humility, and sharing the gospel during this season. The true peace and joy found in Christ that the world cannot offer. Let's strip away the distractions and return to the true meaning of Christmas—celebrating the greatest gift ever given: Jesus Christ.

In this message, Pastor Harrison Conley unpacks the profound truth of Jesus as Immanuel—God with us. Through scriptures like John 1:1-5, Colossians 1:15, and 1 John 4:2, he explores why the Word became flesh: to save us, reveal God's love, model how to live, and invite us to share in His divine nature. As we reflect on these truths, we're reminded of the true meaning of Christmas—God's love and His desire to be near us.

Send us a textStep into Advent: A Fallow Beginning—a refreshing invitation to encounter the season of anticipation in a world that rarely pauses. This unique devotional urges a three-day digital fast, creating space to find God in silence and simplicity. Through the Gospel of Matthew, it reveals an Advent shaped by raw human experiences of fear, loneliness, and wonder, drawing readers into the depth of Christ's arrival in a broken world. Each day's reflection brings a gentle challenge to embrace less, to hear the quiet call of God, and to re-center on the profound reality of Immanuel—God with us.Support the show"Healing the City" is a profound and dynamic weekly podcast that dives into the complexities of creating healthier communities. Featuring the voices and perspectives of the esteemed members of the Village Church, each episode is thoughtfully crafted to address the challenges and opportunities for meaningful change in our cities. With a holistic approach to healing, the podcast explores a wide range of topics, from soul care and spiritual direction to mental health and community involvement. It provides listeners with insightful and thought-provoking perspectives on the issues facing our cities, as well as practical steps they can take to make a difference. Join hosts Corey Gilchrist, Eric Cepin, Ashley Cousineau, Jessica Dennes, Michael Cousineau, Mark Crawford, and Susan Cepin as they navigate the complexities of our communities with wisdom, grace, and a deep commitment to positive change. Through their engaging discussions, listeners will be inspired to become active participants in healing the city and creating a brighter, healthier future for all. The Village Churchvillagersonline@gmail.comThe Village Church meets at 10a and 5p on Sundays1926 N Cloverland Ave, Tucson AZ 85712Mail: PO Box 30790, Tucson AZ 85751

For 52 weeks I will introduce you to the many names and titles of God. The goal is to learn about his nature and to encourage your faith. Week 39: Immanuel(God is with us) Scripture: Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:23. God Over Everything T-Shirts https://www.bonfire.com/god-over-everything160-8/

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25, Micah 6:8 Being in the Scripture is a great place to be because God DOES speak in His Word, both 2,000 years ago and today!   Today's text from the Bible is a powerful Word, a life-changing Word… Matthew tells the Christmas story from the vantage point of Joseph, who after finding out about Mary being pregnant decided to divorce her quietly, but… Joseph receives a visit by an angel in a dream and the angel tells him that he is not to divorce Mary, that she is pregnant by the Holy Spirit, and that he is to name the child Jesus because He will save His people from their sins.  Following the dream, Joseph stays engaged to Mary, doesn't consummate the marriage until after Jesus' birth, and he names the baby, Jesus. A virgin birth is implausible if there is no god. But there IS a god!  He is the God who reveals Himself in the Scripture and through His Holy Spirit and like in today's reading, through angelic beings. What prophets predicted, is fulfilled in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth.  Immanuel: God with us.  Fully human: suffers as our substitute for our sin Fully God: eternal redemption by His blood Apart from Christ our lives hold no hope. No matter how good we are it's not good enough. We cannot save ourselves for we have all sinned and we need the Perfect One to save us. Apart from Jesus - nice guys finish last. With Jesus there is life, forgiveness, peace, strength, joy, hope and the assurance we will live forever with Him. Today's Bible story still speaks powerfully to us today. God revealed the identity of Jesus to Joseph - and for us God is still speaking and revealing His identity to each of us through Joseph's story. In Joseph we see an example of what a godly person ought to be:     ⁃    Our faith is based on the truth that God has revealed to us in His Word     ⁃    Our faith is more than head knowledge     ⁃    Our faith informs our behavior Joseph's example:     ⁃    Faithful to God's Word and wanted to live for God. He knew God is to be trusted, honored and obeyed.     ⁃    Merciful in a culture that looked at Mary's pregnancy as a disgrace, that recommended a public divorce, Joseph did not want to humiliate Mary.     ⁃    Obedient to what God revealed in his dream and also obedient to the Word in the Bible of “the virgin will conceive and bare a son” and so he took her as his wife.     ⁃    Courageous individual who put family first and God over all. An individual who did what God told him to do despite pushback and persecution.  He understood that it is more important to follow God than to worry about public opinion. Joseph wasn't saved because he was a good man. He was a good man because He was saved. So we too are encouraged to live lives as a response to the incredible gift of the grace and goodness of God in Christ. Micah 6:8 says: He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. May we exhibit that kind of a life-style in response to the revelation of who our Lord Jesus Christ is. Lord Jesus help us live courageous lives for You! https://www.awakeusnow.com Check out the video on our website https://www.awakeusnow.com/the-greats Check out the video on Youtube https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOwOsas957DiSUd6oyPPusju&si=aF1BhWGvhZyBvUVi Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

Immanuel - God Is With Us Part 3///Pastor Keith How can we pray for you today or if you have a question: https://www.libertychurchcampuses.com/question First Time Guest: https://www.libertychurchcampuses.com/connection-card 3 Ways to GIVE: GIVE by app: Liberty Church Campuses GIVE by mail: PO Box 274, Arab, AL 35016 GIVE by online link: https://www.libertychurchcampuses.com/give Message Notes: App: https://notes.subsplash.com/fill-in/view?page=SJd7YBi41e&hints=true Join Liberty Church Arab's Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/437967402011785/ To receive TEXT updates: Text - https://mtxt.cc/list/join/256.217.5696/updates

In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Pastor Taylor Simpson, Lead Pastor of New Song Church in Bellingham, WA. Taylor shares his passion for building a praying church and leading with authenticity. Together, we explore how to experience Immanuel—God with us—not just during the Christmas season but 365 days a year. Taylor challenges the idea of keeping Christmas as a nostalgic, one-time celebration and instead invites us to step into a deeper, more vibrant relationship with Christ throughout every season of life. As a husband, father, and Jesus follower, Taylor offers practical insights on how to invite Christ into your daily life with honesty and intention. Whether you're navigating family life, pursuing your faith, or longing for a more prayerful connection with God, this conversation will leave you inspired to live out the message of Immanuel every day. What We Discuss: Taylor's journey as a pastor, husband, and dad, and how his life shapes his ministry. How nostalgia around Christmas can limit our faith journey. Practical ways to engage with the presence of Christ year-round. Building a life of prayer and authenticity in a busy, modern world. Taylor's insights on vulnerability and why it's vital in cultivating a deep relationship with God. Connect with Pastor Taylor @ nscbellingham.com Follow Willow: Website | Instagram | Facebook Partner with Us to Impact Lives! If you love this podcast and the work Collide is doing to impact lives, would you consider partnering with us?  Your generous donations help us provide counseling, create content, and build spaces for women to connect. Will you join our efforts to bring hope and healing to hurting women by giving a financial gift? Visit our website for more information about giving.

Join Sarah and Isabell as they share that Jesus came to be Immanuel—God with us, our Healer, the Prince of Peace and our Everlasting Hope.

From now until Christmas we will be focusing each week on a tradition of advent. Advent is a time of expectant waiting and preparation for both the celebration of the birth of Christ at Christmas and the return of Christ at the Second Coming. This week we focus on the first tradition HOPE. Micah 2-4 But you, Bethlehem, David's country,    the runt of the litter— From you will come the leader    who will shepherd-rule Israel. He'll be no upstart, no pretender.    His family tree is ancient and distinguished. Meanwhile, Israel will be in foster homes    until the birth pangs are over and the child is born, And the scattered brothers come back    home to the family of Israel. He will stand tall in his shepherd-rule by God's strength,    centered in the majesty of God-Revealed. And the people will have a good and safe home,    for the whole world will hold him in respect—    Peacemaker of the world! Do you feel like the runt of the liter? Asking, what good can come from you? That's how Bethlehem felt before the unthinkable happened. From this runt of the litter, the most unexpected, the least likely event in history happened. As we prepare our hearts for celebrating the arrival of the Peacemaker of the world, can you offer what you have, as unsightly as you may think it is, as a birthing place of Hope this season. Often in is in the least likely places that we encounter the closeness of Immanuel - God with us. Let's pray: “Immanuel, Lord Jesus, We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us.  To you we say, "Come Lord Jesus! Help us to receive and embrace the Hope eternal that only You bring. Emanuel, God with us. Amen”

How can we pray for you today or if you have a question: https://www.libertychurchcampuses.com/question First Time Guest: https://www.libertychurchcampuses.com/connection-card 3 Ways to GIVE: GIVE by app: Liberty Church Campuses GIVE by mail: PO Box 274, Arab, AL 35016 GIVE by online link: https://www.libertychurchcampuses.com/give Message Notes: App: https://notes.subsplash.com/fill-in/view?page=Byl4bcMN1x&hints=true Join Liberty Church Arab's Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/437967402011785/ To receive TEXT updates: Text - https://mtxt.cc/list/join/256.217.5696/update

Send us a textStep into Advent: A Fallow Beginning—a refreshing invitation to encounter the season of anticipation in a world that rarely pauses. This unique devotional urges a three-day digital fast, creating space to find God in silence and simplicity. Through the Gospel of Matthew, it reveals an Advent shaped by raw human experiences of fear, loneliness, and wonder, drawing readers into the depth of Christ's arrival in a broken world. Each day's reflection brings a gentle challenge to embrace less, to hear the quiet call of God, and to re-center on the profound reality of Immanuel—God with us.Support the show"Healing the City" is a profound and dynamic weekly podcast that dives into the complexities of creating healthier communities. Featuring the voices and perspectives of the esteemed members of the Village Church, each episode is thoughtfully crafted to address the challenges and opportunities for meaningful change in our cities. With a holistic approach to healing, the podcast explores a wide range of topics, from soul care and spiritual direction to mental health and community involvement. It provides listeners with insightful and thought-provoking perspectives on the issues facing our cities, as well as practical steps they can take to make a difference. Join hosts Corey Gilchrist, Eric Cepin, Ashley Cousineau, Jessica Dennes, Michael Cousineau, Mark Crawford, and Susan Cepin as they navigate the complexities of our communities with wisdom, grace, and a deep commitment to positive change. Through their engaging discussions, listeners will be inspired to become active participants in healing the city and creating a brighter, healthier future for all. The Village Churchvillagersonline@gmail.comThe Village Church meets at 10a and 5p on Sundays1926 N Cloverland Ave, Tucson AZ 85712Mail: PO Box 30790, Tucson AZ 85751

Revelation 21:1-7 NLT  Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God's home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.  Did you hear it? God's home is among His people. He will live with them. God Himself will be among them. Tears gone. No more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone … forever. And please, please hear these words … “Look, I am making everything new.” And with God, everything indeed means everything.  In this Christmas season, look for God. Listen again to these key phrases written for you.  Look, God's home is now among his people!  He will wipe every tear from their eyes  Look, I am making everything new!  to all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life.  I will be their God, and they will be my children  I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End.  This is the message we reflect on in this season - Immanuel—God with … you.  Pray with me: “Immanuel—God with me, thank You for not abandoning me, but coming to save me through Jesus. Thank You that a baby in a manger changed everything through a man on a cross. I invite You to come and be with me now and stay in my heart forever. Help me to make room for You always. As above, so below.” 

In this episode, we explore the character of Jesus through the lens of the Christmas story. What does His birth narrative reveal about His humility, compassion, and faithfulness? Join us as we discuss the profound significance of Jesus being born in a “nobody's” household and the accessibility of grace. Through personal stories, dialogue questions, and biblical context, we uncover how the Christmas story speaks to our struggles with being “good enough” and offers a transformative picture of God's grace and connection. This is the first of three episodes leading up to Christmas, delving into the power of narrative and the gift of Immanuel—God with us.

 Matthew 1:18-24 NLT  This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord's message through his prophet: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.'” When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. (Matthew 1:18-24 NLT)  When we hear this story around Christmas, all we tend to think about is the celebration of the birth of Christ. While true that this is a joyous occasion, that is actually a one-dimensional outlook. Here's why: In the day that Joseph and Mary were planning their wedding, an engagement or betrothal was very different than today. Once betrothed, there was a legal agreement as if you were already married but not yet living together. For Mary to tell Joseph she was pregnant with him knowing they had not been together was the same as adultery.  The bottom line is that Mary was amazed at what God had told her and was doing in her life, yet fearful and heartbroken at the same time because she knew what this would mean for her relationship to Joseph. Once Mary told Joseph, he was then heartbroken because, imagine for a moment, your fiance telling you she is pregnant and the Father is God. … God? How many people would buy that? There was no joy in these moments of conflict … there was fear, pain, grief, sorrow, and pain. But here's the game changer for Joseph and Mary, as well as for us today in our pain … God spoke and confirmed the truth, taking away the fear. Would all this have been hard to believe and explain to people? Absolutely. But Joseph being a man of faith, as Mary was a woman of faith, responded in obedience, which was the very reason God chose them. He could trust them both with His plan.  When we are in the midst of a heartbreak … sorrow … feelings of betrayal … pain … He is moving and active in our disappointment. We too must listen for the voice of God to speak. Hear His truth about our circumstances. Allow Him to take away our fear. He is as He promised … Immanuel—God with us. Today, wherever you may be in your circumstances, no matter how things may look today, God has a plan and a purpose even in pain.  Let's pray: “Father, Mary and Joseph's faith and belief in You is inspiring. Please help me to trust you with the same heart. Help me to see past my circumstances today and look toward what You will do as You are with me now and already in my future. Immanuel - God with us.” 

 As we go through this Christmas season, there are two categories of people and you fall into one.  Those who have been hurt and know grief and sorrow, and now have a compassion and empathy during the Holidays to see those who are hurting and offer help, to be able to speak hope when and where it is so desperately needed. …  Or those who are hurting right now. You look around and see the lights and decorations and none of it seems to matter, because the last thing you want to do is celebrate … anything.  I want you to know if that is you, I get it. I have felt that way. I know that horrible feeling. All those in the first group of survivors know that heartbreak all too well.  But there is Someone else who understands your pain. He is Immanuel, the Promised One who came and is with you now. Today, we read from Isaiah once again, in chapter 53, and again, the text prophesies about the life of Jesus. If you really listen to what these words say about Christ, you'll see He knows pain and understands heartbreak. Close your eyes. Tune in. Listen with your heart.  (Isaiah 53NLT)  Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm? My servant grew up in the Lord's presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down.  This is not a far off deity that can't relate to our heartbreak. Listen to our Immanuel described in this passage - this time reading from the Message Bible.  He was looked down on and passed over,     a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand.  One look at him and people turned away.     We looked down on him, thought he was scum.  But the fact is, it was our pains he carried—  our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.  This is describing a broken man. Someone that we would say - got the SERIOUS short end of the stick. Yet He chose that. Because He believed you were worth it.  That is the beauty of Immanuel - God with us.  Sorrow, pain, anguish, injustice, feeling despised, harsh treatment … all because of us, all for us, so God could be with us. Who better to invite into your hurt and your healing than Jesus? Can you imagine this God who loved you so immensely being crushed to make your whole? He is acquainted with grief and He is with you right now.  Let's pray: “Lord, thank You that You came, that You suffered for us, that You endured all this when You didn't have to do anything at all … but You did. I can be counted righteous today because of You. Thank you for being God with Us. Immanuel - God with us.” 

With the countdown to Christmas and New Year's begun, we set our sights on the true meaning of the season: Immanuel—God With Us.  Have you ever considered how a holy, righteous, omnipotent, omniscient God could have simply said to us, “You're going to need to figure out a way to get to Me,” … or “You'll need to meet all these strict requirements to reach me.” But the very fact that we can call Him “God With Us” is a miracle. He came to us, to seek and save that which was lost.  This Christmas, each time you hear the word Immanuel, think about what this actually means for you … God came after you… We don't “find God,” He finds us.  We all have suffered great loss in life. Something at one point you could not imagine being broken was broken. We know what it means for our hearts to be broken and our lives to be wracked with grief, to live in a state of sorrow. For that very reason, the message, the reminder, that Immanuel—God with Us—has come for us is so important for us to focus on this season.  Right now, you may be in the very beginning stages of grief, of sorrow. You may be right in the middle heartache and pain is with you every day. Or you could be coming out of a storm and have begun your journey of healing. No matter where you are, today, right now, God is with you, whether you care right now or not, whether you feel Him or not, He is with You. I want to encourage you to never confuse God allowing something to happen as God not caring for you. He never promised to take us out of this broken and fallen world, but He did promise to be with us when life breaks us and things fall apart.  Listen to Isaiah's prophecy given to him by God 700 hundred years before Christ was born.  (Isaiah 9:1-2, 6-7 NLT)  Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever… there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory. The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine. … For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven's Armies will make this happen!  We have the privilege of living on the other side of this prophecy. Listen to these ancient words and realize what has actually happened.  The Wonderful Counselor that Isaiah promised has come.  The Mighty God has made Himself known.  The Everlasting Father is present right now.  The Prince of Peace is ready to remove the chaos, heal the hurt, and replace your sorrow with joy.  What is most real about God to you right now?  Wonderful Counselor  Mighty God  Everlasting Father  Prince of Peace  He is Immanuel—God with … you.  Pray with me: “Immanuel, when I struggle in my hurt, when I doubt and question Your goodness, when I think no one cares, please allow me to feel Your presence in my soul, my heart, in the air I breathe, and the very life You give. Immanuel - God with us.” 

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Tim ChangSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 7:1-17 (ESV)1 In the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah the king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but could not yet mount an attack against it. 2 When the house of David was told, “Syria is in league with Ephraim,” the heart of Ahaz and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind.3 And the Lord said to Isaiah, “Go out to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-jashub your son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer's Field. 4 And say to him, ‘Be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of these two smoldering stumps of firebrands, at the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria and the son of Remaliah. 5 Because Syria, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has devised evil against you, saying, 6 “Let us go up against Judah and terrify it, and let us conquer it for ourselves, and set up the son of Tabeel as king in the midst of it,” 7 thus says the Lord God:“‘It shall not stand, and it shall not come to pass.8 For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin.And within sixty-five years Ephraim will be shattered from being a people.9 And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah.If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.'”10 Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: 11 “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” 12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” 13 And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 15 He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. 16 For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted. 17 The Lord will bring upon you and upon your people and upon your father's house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah—the king of Assyria!”Sermon OutlineFaith can be challenged (v. 1-2)An invitation to have faith (v. 3-9)Faith that can endure (v. 10-17)Prayer of ConfessionGracious God, you invite us to have faith in you, but it is not easy. Instead of trusting in you, we take matters into our own hands. We often care more about what you can do for us rather than who you are. Help us to see your invitations to have faith in you. You are a God who not only makes promises, but you fulfill them. May we trust that you are Immanuel; God with us. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat connected with you from the sermon or the passage?Can you recall a time when your faith in God was tested? How did you respond in that time? How do your struggles shape the way you see God? Have there been times of learning, growth, or wavering? Have there been challenging moments that drew you closer to God? What did you learn about God through those experiences?One of the names of God is Immanuel: God with us. Do you resonate with this? In what ways does this comfort you? What do you sense God calling you to do from this passage?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Send us a textStep into Advent: A Fallow Beginning—a refreshing invitation to encounter the season of anticipation in a world that rarely pauses. This unique devotional urges a three-day digital fast, creating space to find God in silence and simplicity. Through the Gospel of Matthew, it reveals an Advent shaped by raw human experiences of fear, loneliness, and wonder, drawing readers into the depth of Christ's arrival in a broken world. Each day's reflection brings a gentle challenge to embrace less, to hear the quiet call of God, and to re-center on the profound reality of Immanuel—God with us.Advent: A Fallow Beginning PDFSupport the show"Healing the City" is a profound and dynamic weekly podcast that dives into the complexities of creating healthier communities. Featuring the voices and perspectives of the esteemed members of the Village Church, each episode is thoughtfully crafted to address the challenges and opportunities for meaningful change in our cities. With a holistic approach to healing, the podcast explores a wide range of topics, from soul care and spiritual direction to mental health and community involvement. It provides listeners with insightful and thought-provoking perspectives on the issues facing our cities, as well as practical steps they can take to make a difference. Join hosts Corey Gilchrist, Eric Cepin, Ashley Cousineau, Jessica Dennes, Michael Cousineau, Mark Crawford, and Susan Cepin as they navigate the complexities of our communities with wisdom, grace, and a deep commitment to positive change. Through their engaging discussions, listeners will be inspired to become active participants in healing the city and creating a brighter, healthier future for all. The Village Churchvillagersonline@gmail.comThe Village Church meets at 10a and 5p on Sundays1926 N Cloverland Ave, Tucson AZ 85712Mail: PO Box 30790, Tucson AZ 85751

Immanuel - God Is With Us Part 1 - Arab Campus by One Church - One Vision - Multiple Campuses

Audio Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Tim ChangSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 7:1-17 (ESV)1 In the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah the king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but could not yet mount an attack against it. 2 When the house of David was told, “Syria is in league with Ephraim,” the heart of Ahaz and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind.3 And the Lord said to Isaiah, “Go out to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-jashub your son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer's Field. 4 And say to him, ‘Be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of these two smoldering stumps of firebrands, at the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria and the son of Remaliah. 5 Because Syria, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has devised evil against you, saying, 6 “Let us go up against Judah and terrify it, and let us conquer it for ourselves, and set up the son of Tabeel as king in the midst of it,” 7 thus says the Lord God:“‘It shall not stand, and it shall not come to pass.8 For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin.And within sixty-five years Ephraim will be shattered from being a people.9 And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah.If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.'”10 Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: 11 “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” 12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” 13 And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 15 He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. 16 For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted. 17 The Lord will bring upon you and upon your people and upon your father's house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah—the king of Assyria!”Sermon OutlineFaith can be challenged (v. 1-2)An invitation to have faith (v. 3-9)Faith that can endure (v. 10-17)Prayer of ConfessionGracious God, you invite us to have faith in you, but it is not easy. Instead of trusting in you, we take matters into our own hands. We often care more about what you can do for us rather than who you are. Help us to see your invitations to have faith in you. You are a God who not only makes promises, but you fulfill them. May we trust that you are Immanuel; God with us. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat connected with you from the sermon or the passage?Can you recall a time when your faith in God was tested? How did you respond in that time? How do your struggles shape the way you see God? Have there been times of learning, growth, or wavering? Have there been challenging moments that drew you closer to God? What did you learn about God through those experiences?One of the names of God is Immanuel: God with us. Do you resonate with this? In what ways does this comfort you? What do you sense God calling you to do from this passage?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

In this weeks episode, Pastor John gives the first message of the new series: Unto Us. He walks us through Isaiah 7:1-14 and emphasizes Isaiah's presentation of God's promise of a Son, Immanuel (God with us).