God With Us

The prophets prophesied Messiah would be called Emmanuel, which means God with us. Looking to this prophecy, the people of Israel expected Messiah to come and walk among them. That He did. They hoped He would remain with them and save them from the rule of their Roman oppressors. He did not. God had a better plan.

God's master plan, set in motion from the when He spoke the world into existence, allowed for redemption of many more than the Jews alone. His plan for salvation extended to all people. His choice to suffer and die allowed you and I to be adopted into Christ's family. We, too, have become His sons and daughters.

Although His plan required Him to leave us physically, spiritually He has remained. He continues to walk among us. His presence is evidenced in many ways. For example, I love to watch (and feel) His Spirit move across a worship service as He ministers to His people. What I witness each time is unexplainable. I also love when He shows up in my personal times of worship and prayer. His extravagant love is overwhelming and beyond words.

How have you experienced Emmanuel this week?  He is with you. Take time to stop and sense His Holy Presence.

All You Need

Isaiah 9:6 is one of the most well known messianic prophecies. Many people can quote the verse, or at least list the descriptive words used to distinguish His name above all others.

"For a child will be born to us,
a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace..."
Isaiah 9:6 NASB

As Jesus Christ grew into a man, we saw evidence of the Mighty God at work among the people. He explained to His followers that He and the Heavenly Father were one. As we read His life story, we see the peace He restored to countless lives. We too have experienced the Holy Spirit He sent.

What Christ began in His earthly ministry continues today. He still provides peace. He still lives within the hearts of man as they are filled with His Holy Presence, called the Wonderful Counselor here in Isaiah. And one day soon, He will return and we will see the government rest on His shoulders as He rules the nations.

As you celebrate his arrival so many years ago and  prepare for His second coming, which of these messianic promises means the most to you in your current life season? Have you experienced the miraculous lately, as He has shown Himself to be the Mighty God? Has His peace allowed you to walk through  difficult circumstances? Have you been dwelling in His Holy Presence as He draws you into a deeper relationship with Him?

Jesus Christ is everything you need. Allow Him to prove Himself in your life in each role listed in Isaiah 9:6.

Christ - A Solid Rock

Exodus chapter 17 supplies another glimpse of Jesus and the future foundation He would provide for all men. In this chapter, we find Moses and the Israelites wandering in the wilderness. They are weary, tired, and above all else, thirsty. While the people grumbled and complained, Moses sought the face of God for direction.

In Exodus 17:6 God replies "Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink."

Allegory is one of several methods that New Testament writers used to interpret the Old Testament. An allegorical interpretation acknowledges that in addition to the literal meaning of a passage, it also holds another, deeper meaning.

1 Corinthians 10:4 refers to the Israelites in their wanderings and reads "and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; the rock was Christ." In this verse, Paul allegorizes the accounts of God giving Israel manna and water from a rock during their time in the wilderness. Paul asserts that Christ was that rock which provided Israel with water in the wilderness.

Not only was Christ the rock provided for the peoples of Israel, He serves as our spiritual foundation. From Him flow spiritual food and drink. Jesus is a spiritual rock which we can stand upon. During times of unrest and confusion, stand firmly on the solid ground He provides. If you remain close to His side, your steps will be established and He will keep you from all harm.

Gifts Beyond Christmas

Psalm 68, a messianic psalm, describes the Christ as One who gives gifts to men, loading them with benefits. The apostle Paul refers to this passage as he writes of Christ’s fulfillment of the prophecy in Ephesians chapter 4. Read the following passage which includes verses 7-13.

⁷ But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. ⁸ Therefore He says:

“When He ascended on high,
He led captivity captive,
And gave gifts to men.”

⁹ (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? ¹⁰ He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

¹¹ And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, ¹² for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, ¹³ till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

 

Jesus Christ’s gifts to us extend far beyond the gift of His coming. He continues to gift individuals to lead His Church. In addition, He equips our lives to live victoriously in this last day. The person gift of equipping you and I can be a great testimony to the power of the resurrected Christ.

Think of your own life. How many times have you relied on Christ to carry you through a situation that was too hard to bear on your own? How many times have you stepped out in faith and God has provided the courage and strength you needed to complete the task He set in front of you? How many times has someone asked you “How did you ever…?” and you replied “It was God!”

Every situation you recall is a product of God’s giving.

As you prepare for Christmas, take time to stop and reflect on the many gifts God has given you. Equipping you to live a victorious life is just one. Look around you and acknowledge His goodness to you. He gets great pleasure by gifting you, His child. It is one of the reasons He came.

A Bruised Head

The first glimpse of our Savior leaps off the page early in the book of Genesis. In Genesis 3:15, God tells the serpent the Seed of a woman will bruise his head. God predicts enmity between Jesus and the devil. Throughout the New Testament, we see the devil plant doubts in the hearts of the people and stir up hatred in the hearts of the Jewish leaders. While Satan hoped for victory, when Christ rose from the dead his triumph over evil was complete. Evidence of His victory is recorded in the following New Testament verses.

Hebrews 2:14 [NKJV] reads “that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, this is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”

1 John 3:8 “…the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”

While Christ’s work of salvation is complete, He continues to bruise the devil’s head.

Jesus continually works on our behalf to thwart the plans Satan has for us. While Satan schemes and manipulates circumstances to harm us, God’s good plans for us prevail. Christ not only redeemed us from eternal damnation, He redeems our lives from the heartache and destruction of sin.

In Genesis 50:20 Joseph explains to his brothers “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good.”

Do you find yourself wondering about your current circumstances? Is it hard to recognize the big picture from your view point? Yes, it is true that the devil is working against you, but your Messiah will continue to put him in his place. As you remain in Christ, the devil cannot harm you. Your Savior has overcome and will bruise the serpent’s head as many times as needed to ensure your victory!

A King Will Come

Jesus was and still is the most talked about person in history. From the creation of the world, all the earth awaited His arrival. 700 years before His birth, the prophets were talking about Him. Today people still call on His Name.

On a quiet night in Bethlehem, something miraculous happened. The King the people watched for arrived in a humble stable. A star shone brightly in the clear sky; one that was unexplainable by man. The heavens opened and a host of angels sang. The lowly shepherds heard the announcement and rejoiced. Where were the others? Did they turn a deaf ear as they continued to attend to the busyness of life?

Wise men from the East arrived as they followed the star and inquired of the people "Where is the King?" Although the scholars poured over the scrolls to give their answer, only three wise men traveled to Bethlehem to worship. Where were the others who cherished the promises of a Soon Coming King?
 
Although many watched and wondered when He would appear, all but a few missed His coming. It is hard to comprehend how so many watched but didn't see. How could a day longed for by so many be missed completely when it arrived?

We shake our head and think "Lord, if I had been there I would have believed!" However, a close examination of our own lives provides evidence to the contrary. How many times has Our Savior shown Himself at work in our own lives, but we fail to recognize His work? How many times does He offer spiritual nourishment, yet we fail to see the package He presents it in?

Over the coming weeks, RTG will provide a glimpse at the messianic prophecies which foretold the coming of the Christ. When we examine the words of the prophets, we can know Jesus more fully and are better equipped to recognize the work of Christ in our own lives.

As the day in which we celebrate His coming draws near, let us watch with eyes wide open. He is at work even today. Tune your ear to hear the voice from heaven. He will speak to your heart as you bow down to worship Him. 

Near Drought Conditions

Rain has been a scarce and sacred thing in the Midwest this summer. Everywhere I look the once green and luscious landscape is brown and brittle. People have engaged in all out war just to keep lawns, flowers, and bushes alive. Even well established trees are in danger because the water table in the ground has receded by significant levels. Surprisingly, although the grasses are dead, weeds seem to be thriving. People are still mowing, but only to take out the weeds which continue to sprout in the desolate conditions.

As I marveled at the resilience of the weeds, I can’t help but make comparisons to my own spirituality. In the gospel of John, Jesus explains to the Samaritan woman that He provides Living Water. Jesus explains that all who come to Him will never thirst again. Connecting with my Savior allows Him to fill me each day with this Living Water He so generously supplies. But often, I let my time with Him decrease until I am living in near drought conditions. When this occurs, the fruits of the spirit struggle to survive and the weeds of the flesh seem to flourish.

 In his letter, James describes two types of living conditions. In chapter 5, James reveals that those who live in earthly conditions (lack of spiritual water) will see envy, bitterness, and selfish ambition quickly grow. Those who remain connected to the Source of Life will experience good fruits such as peace and mercy.

Here are a few questions to help you take inventory of your current growing conditions:

• What characteristics seem to be multiplying the quickest in your life?

• How would you currently describe the spiritual climate in your life, your family, and your church?

• How often and in what ways are you connecting to the Living Water?

• What action steps can you take today to help replenish the water table in your soul?

 

“Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”  John 4:14

Hands That Grab

A lot has changed since my last blog. My little girl has grown into an active five month old. It has been a joy to experience this stage of motherhood again. Having older children too, each milestone with Lea has provided new memories and allowed me to revisit old ones as well.

Lea has reached the age where everything looks inviting. Her little hands reach out to grab onto anything available: a toy within her grasp, the mobile over her head, and my hands when I reach for her. She latches on with surprising strength and holds tight. Getting an object away from her can be quite a task.

Most times, I encourage her and praise her efforts, but not always. Sometimes her little hands reach for things that could cause her pain. Objects with sharp edges and extreme temperatures are a few items I have to remove from her reach. Other times her hands reach out to grab and accidentally cause another pain. The time she grabbed her cousin's hair and wouldn't let go was somewhat traumatic for them both. Lea has not yet learned what objects can be trusted and what items need to be avoided. That knowledge will develop over time. On the other hand, I have the knowledge needed to keep her safe. It is my job to protect her.

Even as adults, we are reaching for objects that make themselves available to us. The items adults find desirable look much different. Material possessions, meaningful relationships, and financial security are a few examples. Some items are safe and healthy. Others have the potential to cause pain to ourselves and those around us. While experience might help us in making choices, the Bible reminds us that the wisdom of man doesn't always result in the wisest choice. Our Heavenly Father has the wisdom we need to know which items to pursue and which items to avoid. James 1:5 tells us God is willing to impart His wisdom to any who asks Him for it. In addition to wisdom, God has provided other items He desires us to reach out and take hold of.

Here is a small sample.

But perfect love drives out fear... 1 John 4:18

May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. 2 Thessalonians 3:16

Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. John 16:14

What items are you striving to gain hold of today? Are they worldly items or things of God? Holding on to the things of God is always safe. If your life is not full of joy and peace, maybe you need to reach for them. Your Savior offers them to you today. Grab ahold and don't let go.