Immanuel

"Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and he will be called Immanuel (meaning, God is with us)."

What does this mean to us, everyday?

Everything!

Jesus says in John 15, ""I am the true vine.....apart from me you can do nothing."

Is this true or not? Yes, it is true. It is God's word. However, is it true to us individually in the experiences of our lives? Do we by faith recognize his presence so the we are continually occupied with him in intimacy and love so that we have power to overcome our flesh and the powers of darkness and the power to produce Godly fruit? (See also Galatians 5)

Our ancestors have left us their example. A few are listed below:

Jacob's experience of God’s presence:
From Genesis31, "Your father has turned against me…But the God of my father has been with me… God has not allowed him to do me any harm.”

Joseph's experience of God’s presence:
From Genesis 39, “The LORD was with Joseph so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master.” and “But the LORD was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the LORD made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden…..The LORD was with him and caused everything he did to succeed.”

David's experience of God's presence:
From II Samuel 5, “And David became more and more powerful, because the LORD God Almighty was with him.”

Solomon's experience of God's presence:
From II Chronicles 1, “Solomon, the son of King David, now took firm control of the kingdom, for the LORD his God was with him and made him very powerful.”

Joshua's experience of God's presence:
From Joshua 6, “So the LORD was with Joshua, and his name became famous throughout the land.”

We can read the scriptures too fast and miss the simplicity of the MIRACLE of God's presence and we can also use our own limited mental capacities and do as A.W. Tozer suggests, ""Left to ourselves we tend immediately to reduce God to manageable terms." Why though?!

Be a child and be continually occupied with the power and comfort of God's loving presence. You have been given access through your faith in Christ. Yes, you are right if you are thinking,"It is not fair though." but your thoughts make God's truth absolutely no less true!

Big Daddy Weave - Without You
From the album What I Was Made For
Would we hear the sound
Of breathing in the dark
Where would be life’s spark
Without You

Would the birds every sing
Would the wind blow through the trees
Could touch the grass so green
Under this big sky so blue
With You, without You

Chorus:
And the sun doesn’t shine
And my world stops spinnin’ round
Without You, without You
Tell me where else could I ever find
The peace that floods this heart of mine
Without You, without You

Who could fill, the emptiness inside
Who would ease the pain, in my broken heart
Who would come in and abide
Promise never to depart
Without You, without You

Chorus:(2x’s)
I can’t live without You
I don’t want to try to
Live one more moment without You

Lyrics may not be reproduced without permission from the publisher.