Explore the meaning of "God with us" and how it transforms our daily lives. Discover practical insights for faith and everyday living.
Trevor H. Lund is the founder of Live LIGHT Academy at https://livelight.ca/ and the Creative Storyteller at https://revtrev.com He helps you give thanks with your whole heart https://revtrev.link/heart Check out https://revtrev.com/tv for past videos and live casts and https://revtrev.com/radio to subscribe to his podcast wherever you listen.
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Let’s read the Christmas story from Mathew:
Matthew 1:18-25 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. But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.
“and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.
God with us
I don’t think we realize how offensive that is to some people. - How can the holy be so profaned?
I know we don’t always grasp how significant that is for us. GOD - the creator of all the universes, outside of time and space, the author of all things, the first and the last. GOD is with us.
Today I want to to know GOD is with us...
and I want to to be brave enough to ask yourself - “am I with him?”
God is with us…am I with him?
Can I pray?
What does “GOD is with us” mean for us in our everyday ordinary lives?
How often do you take the time to be in Awe of God?
- It could be in worship.
- Maybe when you’re in nature?
- Perhaps it’ when a new born grasped your finger.
- It can happen when your deep in study of anything in the created world.
- OR when the song plays on the radio or when you read a passage you’ve read hundreds of times before.
- It can sneak up on you when you’re in conversation. It should come to your mind when you’re in prayer.
When was the last time you were in awe of God?
I’ve found
The more I stay curious, the more I’m impressed with God.
The more I am thankful,
the more sense His presence.
the more I expect to meet God,
the more I experience Him.
the more I’m in the moment,
the more I’m in awe of God.
- Curious people are never bored. Bored people are rarely curious.
- Thankful people have hope, peace and joy. It’s because they trust in the God of hope.
- Stories happen in experience.
- Miracles happen in the moments.
Let’s take some time to be in Awe of God. I’ve created a tool to help us VALUE His Presence
God is with Us…am I with Him?
Marvel at the mystery
The mystery you need to marvel at is God himself.
The one who spoke the universes into being, the creator of all. The one who thought up sub atomic particles and is outside of space and time. Who thinks in ways that we can’t ever imagine. Paul reminds us…
Romans 11:33-36 (NLT) Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! For who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice? And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back? For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.
We need to see him as our father, as our friend, as as the one who sticks closer than a brother, and we’ll talk about that in a moment. All these things that we can relate to, because that's how he expresses himself to us and scripture.
But also, remember, writer of Hebrews says
Hebrews 12:28-29 (NIVUK) Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ‘God is a consuming fire.’
That's the otherness of God that we need to keep in balance. That’s the otherness of God we need to embrace. The unknowable God who has made Himself known. Don’t not let that hurt your brain.
That is the GOD who is with you.
The GOD who is with you is also seen in the person of Jesus Christ. The unknowable One who has made Himself known.
Jesus says,
“Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” John 14:9 (NLT)
That’s because Jesus was the exact representation of the Father.
He only did what He saw the Father do
For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. John 6:38 New Living Translation (NLT)
He only said what He heard the Father say
I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say.” John 12:49-50 New Living Translation (NLT)
So let’s spend some time looking at Jesus so we can see the unknowable God who has made himself known more clearly.
How are Jesus and the Father Alike?
Jesus – Liked to Party
The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by its results.” Matthew 11:19 (New Living Translation)
The Father – Rejoices Over You with Singing
For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Zephaniah 3:17 (New Living Translation)
Jesus – Loved His Friends
There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. John 15:13-14 (New Living Translation)
The Father – Calls You The Apple of His Eye
Show the wonder of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes. Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings Psalm 17:7-8 (New International Version)
Jesus – Didn’t Come to Condemn
God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:17 (New Living Translation)
The Father – Is Not Angry with You
“Just as I swore in the time of Noah that I would never again let a flood cover the earth, so now I swear that I will never again be angry and punish you. For the mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my faithful love for you will remain. My covenant of blessing will never be broken,” says the Lord, who has mercy on you. Isaiah 54:9-10 (New Living Translation)
Jesus – Healed All Who Were Oppressed by The Devil
And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. Acts 10:38 (New Living Translation)
The Father – Forgives ALL Your Sins and Heals All Your Diseases
Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. Psalm 103:2-3 (New Living Translation)
Jesus is the exact representation of the Father. He is perfect theology. If you want to know the Father, you need to know His Son.
This is the GOD who is with us.
The unknowable One who has made himself known.
He’s revealed Himself with Love and Joy and Peace and Patience and Kindness and Goodness and Faithfulness and Gentleness and Self-Control.
This is the GOD is with us…
That’s amazing and humbling and empowering
And He’s given you His Spirit…
Romans 8:15-17 "The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father.' The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ."
GOD is with us…
We don’t only Marvel at the mystery and be in Awe…we need to embrace the mystery of what being in relationship with him means.
This is what I mean by wanting us to ask ourselves …AM I WITH HIM?
God is with us…am I with him?
TO be with Him I need to allow the marveling at the mystery lead to embracing the mystery.
What do I mean by that?
Isaiah prophecies Isaiah 60:1-3 (NIVUK) ‘Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
If there is one thing I’ve learned during this season that we are in, it’s that we need peace and joy and hope at all times and every situation. The world needs the peace and joy and hope that’s only available to us.
God’s Peace is only available to us
When the angels announced Jesus’ birth Luke tells us:
Luke 2:13-14 (NIVUK) Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.’
It isn’t “peace on earth” like we so often abbreviate. It’s peace on earth to those on whom his favour rests.
It’s peace for you. It’s peace for me. In the darkness Peace is the light that shines. It’s us having peace at all times and in every situation that is the brightness of our dawn that nations come to.
To have that peace, we marvel at the mystery and then embrace the mystery that is God himself. We recognize God is with us… and we do what we can to be with Him at all times and in every situation.
How do we do this? We…
Trust in the God of all Hope…
You and I are in a divine dance with the creator of all. That dance takes us to places we’re not comfortable with and entrust us with gifts we’re not able to steward without Holy Spirit’s help.
In order to trust God, we need to embrace the mystery. Three tips I have for you are:
Three tips to trust God
1. We need to give up our right to understand so that we can have the peace that passes understanding.
2. We need to Live Unoffended at God
3. We need to look to what He’s doing and not to what’s left undone.
Let me unpack this
1. We need to give up our right to understand so that we can have the peace that passes understanding.
When we're faced with situations we don’t want to be in, we often ask God why.
Far too often it's the why of accusation, not the why of searching it out.
“Why did my prayers not get answered” vs “What do you want me to learn?”
We’re promised peace that passes understanding, but we want to demand understanding.
We need to give up our right to understand so that we can have the peace that passes understanding.
What does scripture say? (Phillipians 4:6-7) Worry about nothing. Pray about everything and be thankful.
Phillipians 4:6-7 (NIVUK) Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
- Worry about nothing. Pray about everything and be thankful.
2. Live Unoffended at God
God has never promised us that we won’t have trouble. He never said things wouldn’t go our own way. Instead Jesus said we have trouble… and in that trouble we could have peace.
John 16:33 (NIVUK) ‘I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.’
We will all have seasons that don’t seem to make sense. John was in jail when Jesus was saying he came to set prisoners free. Jesus didn’t say why John was in prison, only that he’d be blessed if he didn’t get offended his life didn’t make sense to his theology.
All of us will have multiple seasons when our life doesn’t make sense to our theology. If we don’t, our understanding of God and his will is really bad. We need to embrace the mystery of God himself live unoffended with him.
3. We need to look to what He’s doing and not to what’s left undone.
Phillipians 4:8-9 (NIVUK) Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
It our choice and - Holy Spirit enable us to do this - to think about the good things of God when we find ourselves in trouble. And the benefit of thinking this way and living this way is the peace God has for us.
Paul and Silas started to worship while they were in prison.
Will you praise him in the storm?
GOD is with us…am I with Him?
Do I insist on understanding and not have the peace that passes understanding?
Do I live offended at him?
Am I looking to what’s left undone?
The good news is, you can start afresh today.
You can have peace at all times and in every situation.
Marvel at the unknowable One who has made himself known.
Embrace the mystery of God when life doesn’t make sense.
Seek peace and pursue it.
May you have peace at all times and in every situation.
Conclusion…
I came across one writer who suggested that we can replace “believe in” with “embrace the mystery” in the Nicene creed. I want to read this before I close in prayer.
We Embrace the Mystery
We embrace the mystery of one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We embrace the mystery of one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We embrace the mystery of the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the prophets.
We embrace the mystery of one holy universal and apostolic Church.
We embrace the mystery of one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We embrace the mystery of the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen
Will you marvel at the mystery?
Will you embrace the mystery?
God is will you…will you be with him?
Can I pray?
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. Ephesians 1:17-21 (NIVUK)
What I’ve taught on Holy Spirit
Check out my messages and blog posts on Holy Spirit. I’ll keep this updated. Let me know if there is a specific topic you want covered in the comments.
- How to know and experience more of our triune God today https://revtrev.com/living-light/trinity-essential/
- Is Spiritual Growth is on your vision board? https://revtrev.com/living-light/is-spiritual-growth-on-your-vision-board/
- How to be confident you’re being led from Holy Spirit https://revtrev.com/living-light/be-confident-led-holy-spirit/
- God is with us will I be with Him? https://revtrev.com/living-light/god-is-always-with-us-will-i-be-with-him/
- How to understand and and enjoy the Gifts God has for you Today https://revtrev.com/message/how-to-understand-and-enjoy-the-gifts-god-has-for-you-today/
- Buying the Holy Spirit https://revtrev.com/live-intentional/buying-holy-spirit/
- How to Release the gift of words of wisdom https://revtrev.com/livecasts/how-to-release-the-gift-of-words-of-wisdom/
- 70 Functions of the Holy Spirit https://revtrev.com/live-light/70-functions-of-the-holy-spirit/
- How can I Receive the Holy Spirit https://revtrev.com/live-today/how-can-i-receive-the-holy-spirit/
- 3 ways to know it’s the Holy Spirit Speaking https://revtrev.com/live-hopeful/3-ways-to-know-its-the-spirit-speaking/
- How to let the Fruit of Holy Spirit Transform you https://revtrev.com/living-light/how-to-let-the-fruit-of-holy-spirit-transform-you/
- 5 things to know about Spiritual Growth https://revtrev.com/livecasts/5-things-to-never-forget-about-spiritual-growth/
- 11 ways the Holy Spirit Speaks to you https://revtrev.com/live-today/11-ways-the-spirit-speaks-to-you/
- Do Spirit-Filled Believers Leak the Spirit? https://revtrev.com/live-today/do-spirit-filled-believers-leak-the-spirit/
- How to use God’s Gifts for Another https://revtrev.com/living-light/how-to-use-gods-gifts-for-one-another/
- I build myself up reflection https://revtrev.com/livecasts/day-42-i-build-myself-up-reflection-livecast/
- 4 Tips I’ve learned To Hear the Spirit Speak https://revtrev.com/live-intentional/4-tips-ive-learned-to-hear-the-spirit-speak/
- As you go – how to use the gifts of Holy Spirit in the day-to-day of everyday http://revtrev.com/livecasts/as-you-go-how-to-use-the-gifts-of-holy-spirit-in-the-day-to-day-of-everyday/
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