Thursday, December 25, 2008

Emmanuel, God with Us

Today's Scripture

“Behold, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel--which, when translated, means, God with us” (Matthew 1:23, AMP).

Today's Word

In the Bible, Jesus has many names that identify His character, or who He is. One of those names is Emmanuel, which means “God with us.” Before Jesus came, the Spirit of God resided in the temple of God and the people had to go through many rituals so they could be clean enough to go near to His Holy Spirit. Now, the scripture tells us that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, He cleanses us and actually makes His home in our hearts. Jesus was the final sacrifice to purify us once so that His Spirit could dwell inside of us. Now, He is always with us!

Isn’t it good to know that God is as close to us as the very air we breathe! He is always with us which means His peace is always with us. His joy is always with us. His power is always with us, and His victory is always with us! The next time the enemy tries to tell you that you are alone, declare out loud that you serve Emmanuel—the God who is always with you!

A Prayer for Today

Father in heaven, thank You for choosing to make Your home in me. Thank You for filling me with Your peace and joy. I bless You today, knowing that You will never leave me nor forsake me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

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