Hand in Hand Proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

  December 2007 Hand In Hand Ministries Publication 

EMMANUEL: God with us

By Karen Brooks from "Our Daily Bread 4 Today" Tennessee

Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Matthew 1:23

His birth was foretold for centuries and here announced by an Angel of the Lord.  A precious promise about to be fulfilled and the greatest gift to man about to be sent by the Father. The depths of this gift is hard for mankind to fully comprehend and so many times at this season too many of us get lost in the commercialized version of the Holiday.

Truly this is an event to celebrate. God's greatest gift to man was his son, Jesus Christ. Jesus is the light of the world, God’s only begotten Son. From the very beginning of creation, God had a wonderful plan. Behold what manner of love! Could we even imagine giving our child for someone's sins? Yet, God gave his.

He gave us life and a beautiful world to live in. He gave us seasons to enjoy. He created everything that we would need to sustain life here on this earth, yet, He didn't stop there.

 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. John 1:1 and 14

There it is. God in the flesh. The flesh of mankind. He took on a body like ours and he suffered weakness, hunger, pain and broken heartedness just as we do.  He went through pain and emotion just as we do, yet he was perfect and never sinned. Behold, what love! Can you see clearly this picture of God's great love for you that he wanted to be that close to you?

He didn't stop at giving us a natural life and a beautiful world, He went on and gave a far greater gift than that. He came and dwelt among us. God came. He came not to an earthly throne or a palace but was placed in a manger, a common feeding trough, but what could have been a more fitting place for the bread of life? What better place for a tender lamb than a humble stable. He came in Humbleness. He came in poverty yet at the same time with all the bounty heaven had to offer. He came to be with you. His destination was not to remain in a stable or on a cross or in a tomb but to live in your soul, giving you the gift of eternal life for all who would receive him.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. John 3:16-17

If you know Jesus as your Savior today then you have God with you. Through sickness, heartache, poverty, wealth, in the good times and in the times when we fail him He is with us. He did not leave this world and leave us alone. Still he went further. He sent us the comforter of the Holy Spirit. His love kept on giving. Not only this but the promise that he gave that he would never leave us and never forsake us but would go with us all the way, even unto the end of the world. God with us. At death when we breathe our last breath, He will be there.

Oh Precious Babe Emmanuel! God's sweet and Holy Son! What a gift Dear Heavenly Father that you gave us when you gave us yourself in the person of your Son over 2000 years ago!  Behold what love! His name, Emmanuel, what does this mean to you today who are reading this? Do you know this Emmanuel?

Is there room in the Inn of your heart for this baby?  He is God's gift to you.

He came for you. He came on your behalf. If you had been the only one, He still would have come. You cannot do something so wrong that He is not able to forgive you for it. He paid our sin debt, we cannot be good enough and we cannot earn it and we cannot buy it .It is a gift. The first gift of Christmas, the gift that is Christmas.

I have This Emmanuel and I can testify that He is with me. Everyday, no matter what situation I am in He is there, He has never left me and He wants to be your Emmanuel to. There would be no better gift you could ever receive than Christ in your heart. You will never walk alone. God is with you.

Have a blessed Christmas! Karen Brooks

Dailybread4today Ministries.

Word of Life Ministries Statement of Faith  

We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible authoritative Word of God.  We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified, died, was buried, resurrected, ascended into heaven, and is now seated at the right hand of God.  We believe in the personal salvation of believers through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.  We believe in the personal resurrection of the dead, the eternal happiness of the saved, and the eternal punishment of the lost.  We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling we are enabled to live a Godly life, with all the Gifts of the Holy Spirit operational in the Body of Christ today.  We believe in the Christian's hope, the soon coming return of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Hand In Hand Publication is an Internet Ministry of Faithful Christians joining hands together all around the world, for the sole purpose of promoting the Gospel of Jesus Christ.