In the New Testament gospels, Jesus’ followers experienced the presence of God with them in the person of Jesus. And unlike Jesus who walked with his followers for a limited time, the Holy Spirit will be our constant companion. 7:6–8; 14:2). He paid the penalty we deserved and died in our place, and three days later, He rose from the grave victorious. While we no longer see his physical presence among us when we gather, we can be assured that he is with us. Instead, God has a plan for his creation, and he is working it out. Two thousand years ago, God looked upon our sin-ravished world, saw our hopelessness and all our futile attempts to make ourselves right with Him, and He did what we could never do—He came to us. The Holy Spirit does not just walk with us, he helps us to live holy and godly lives. There is a lot of debate as to just how involved he is. Mercy is the withholding of a just condemnation. God is usually conceived of as being omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all-knowing), omnipresent (all-present) and omnibenevolent (all-good) as well as having an eternal and necessary existence.God is most often held to be incorporeal (immaterial). Although a corporate element is present, it … What does it mean that God is love? It means that nothing that happens is apart from God’s ultimate purpose. This Christmas, may we all enjoy the gift of Emmanuel. God first spoke the promise of Emmanuel to ancient Judah’s king Ahaz. That ought to be sufficient for us who believe in God. Although Jesus is fully God, this does not mean that God Himself is a Middle-Eastern Jewish man in His mid-thirties, who (likely) has a beard, dark brown hair, and calloused hands from working long days as a … Because of Christ’s death and resurrection, we truly can receive the gift of “God with us.” Not just with us, as a friend who walks beside us, though He indeed does that. We never have to wonder how to please God or worry if our efforts aren’t enough. In John 14:16-17, Jesus said, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever — the Spirit of truth.” Jesus promised that the Father would give us another advocate, the Holy Spirit. Where that pillar went, they went. As the founder of Wholly Loved Ministries, she’s passionate about helping women experience Christ’s freedom in all areas of their lives. In Scripture, it first appears in Isaiah 7:14, which says, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign; The virgin will conceive, and give birth to a Son, and will call Him Emmanuel” (NIV). He would be closer than their next breath. She’s addressed women’s groups, Bible studies, and writers across the nation. This is why, from the beginning of time, God’s people offered sacrifices. I can trust that no matter what might come my way, he will keep me safe. Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? As his disciples, we … It was a tumultuous, rebellious, and fearful time for the king and his people when Assyrian forces occupied the land. It’s rebellion against our Creator, our very good Father. He was the long-promised Emmanuel, sent by God to save His people and usher in a new kingdom. God is external to his creation, not bound to it or by it. First John 4:7-9 reveals, "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. He could trust in God or suffer defeat from his enemies. His help is indispensable for the follower of Christ. What does the Bible mean when it says that God is a “jealous God”? But the reality is, we have an even more intimate relationship with God now. For Israel, during the Exodus, God is with us meant two things: that God was pleased with them (Exodus 33:16) and that he was providing them with direction (Exodus 40:36-38). The meaning of the resurrection is that God is for us. Does He begin living our lives for us? On the night before He died, Jesus promised He would send us an Advocate, a Spirit of Truth, who would come to “live with” us and “be in” us. Jesus also said that this advocate would help us. He would be and was sinless, without fault. God gave us this child, named Emmanuel, which literally means, “with us is God,” or “God with us.”. He lived among us, showed us the way to the Father, then paved that way Himself through His death on the cross. As a result, they are missing one of the most amazing messages in the Bible. The God of all creation lives within me. But before they consummated their relationship, she became pregnant, while a virgin, by the power of the Holy Spirit. When we gather as believers? He was God, in human form, living and moving among us. And so, God was with Israel, leading them with a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of smoke by day. Answer: God being merciful basically means that, when we deserve punishment, He doesn’t punish us, and in fact blesses us instead. In the opening pages of the Bible, we find God walking with Adam and Eve in the garden. He teaches us the things of God. California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. For those who believe in Jesus, God is with us every moment of every day. In the good times as well as the bad? Jesus was God in human form, walking, talking, and eating with them. As believers, is God always with us? Instead, God has a plan for his creation, and he is working it out. When God reassures Joseph concerning Mary’s pregnancy, he tells him that the one to be born of Mary would be called Immanuel, or “God with us.” Jesus was Immanuel. All rights reserved. But how does this faith translate into something concrete in my daily life, when I go about my tasks at home, at work, or wherever I am? Unlike God’s presence with Israel, a presence that seemed to come and go. Speaking to Us through Prayer. Why Do False Teachings Stand Out More Than the Truth? Fear of the Lord. What good does this do to tell God that He is Lord and Master of the universe? Sure He already knows who He is (see John 13:1-4 ). Be encouraged and grow your faith with daily and weekly devotionals. Then, God offered him a sign, but Ahaz refused, so God gave His own sign, one that would be fulfilled long after Ahaz’s demise. That God is stone dead, a dusty relic. Ed Jarrett is a long-time follower of Jesus and a member of Sylvan Way Baptist Church. Answer: Before the birth of Jesus, an angel appeared to Joseph and revealed that his fiancée, Mary, had conceived a child through the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20–21).Mary would give birth to a Son, and they were to name Him Jesus. God has stepped out of personhood, and is not on "our side" in war or football games, and will not save us if we trash the planet. He is not a passive observer of the creation and all that takes place within it. But we rebelled against Him again and again, and though He remained with us, in the sense that His presence fills all of reality, this wasn’t true in a relational sense. What does Jesus Christ do when we allow Him to live in us? Even in my darkest times, he is with me. But that doesn't mean that the numinous dimension has disappeared from existence. Scripture tells us, without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin. In other words, this act, which occurred in the birth of Christ, was God-ordained and God-accomplished. Those who followed Jesus for the three years of his earthly ministry experienced the presence of God with them in a very intimate and personal fashion. Knowing God as a Loving Father You can also follow him on Twitter or Facebook. Jesus took on human flesh and dwelt among us; He is both fully God and fully man (John 1:18; Colossians 1:19). In other words, whatever people do means nothing to us who believe. So, just what does “God is with us” mean? He is retired and currently enjoys his gardens and backpacking. He teaches me his ways. What Does it Mean to Have Reverence for God? Faith in this is the basis for salvation. What does it mean that Christians are adopted by God? What Would the Apostle Paul Say about Wearing Face Masks? In the beginning of human history, God enjoyed a close presence with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:8). Adoption is a process that makes one a legal son or daughter in a family they were not born into. Mary, a young woman from Nazareth, was betrothed to a man named Joseph. To honor God means to worship Him in all our attitudes, affections, and actions. It puts us in connection with God. The God of all creation lives within me. “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a Son, and you will call Him Emmanuel. Jesus, our Emmanuel, provided hope that sin and death wouldn’t always win and mankind wouldn’t always feel so painfully alone. When Christ came to earth, He quite literally became “God with us.”. But He’s been present with His people as well. At Mount Sinai, after the incident with the Golden Calf, God told Moses that he would not go with the people on their journey to Canaan because they were “a stiff-necked people” (Exodus 33:3-4). Jesus said that this advocate would be with us forever. God is intimately involved in the governance of his creation. Information and translations of god in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. God Created Us to Be Like Him. What does God mean when he asks us to be holy as he is holy? Being complete within Himself, God does … When we are alone? God is with us has a special meaning to those who have surrendered to the lordship of Jesus. Read What Does it Mean to Worship God? When Jesus came into this world, He was truly, literally “God with us.” Because God is with us, we know that we will never be separated from His love (Romans 8:38-39). Definition of god in the Definitions.net dictionary. From a global perspective, it means that God is at work within his creation. Whatever good a person does, he will receive it again from the Lord. But no one seriously questions that he takes an active interest in his creation, in humanity, and, especially, the church and believers. What I ask God to do for me, God asks me to do for others: listen to them, empower them, believe in them, trust them, forgive them when they betray that trust, and love them for what they are, not what I would like them to be. And he empowers us for service in the kingdom. God fully demonstrates His mercy in Jesus Christ. No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And between these, you find God interacting with people, nations, and the created order. Ephesians 6:8. But God with us, as in He comes to live inside us, giving us strength in place of weakness, courage in place of fear, and vibrant life in all those dark places that once felt dead. Because of His death and resurrection, all who believe in Him have been declared not guilty and have been granted new life. God is with us has a special meaning to those who have surrendered to the lordship of Jesus. Continuing on, God told King Ahaz, though destruction was coming to Emmanuel’s land, God was still with His people and His plan would stand (Isaiah 8:8). Our sin separated us from Him, and this drove God to action. - iBelieve Truth: A Devotional for Women - May 5 from today's daily devotional. But He did so much more than enter our humanity. We can have no greater privilege than to have God with us. God has this desire as well and he richly blesses those who seek his face. He is God with us. God is just as good to the 150 people who went down on the Germanwings plane as he is to the soccer … All rights reserved. Matthew 1:20-23 tells us this ancient, hope-filled prophesy came true in Jesus. At the end of the Bible, we find God in the New Jerusalem living with a redeemed humanity. In Christ, God chooses a people for himself. Immanence, on the other hand, refers to his activity within the creation. In other words, this child God promised would be entirely different than all the others born before or after Him, for whereas others ultimately, though they knew what was right, chose wrong, Christ would not. This advocate would, like Jesus, be God. During Jesus’ last night with his disciples, Phillip asked him to show them the Father (John 14:8). . He is not the god of deism, a god who creates a universe and then leaves it to itself. God's Love and the Christian’s Faith This was something altogether new! What does it mean, then, to be in God's presence? 20 Things You May Not Know about Martin Luther King, Jr. A Prayer to Remember God Is Still on the Throne, 10 Scripture-Based Blessings to Pray Over Your Family, 7 Prophetic Words God Has for Us about the End Times, 10 Unexpected Reasons for Infidelity in a Marriage, 10 Sins Jesus Condemns Most Harshly in Scripture, 10 Habitual Sins Women Especially Struggle With, 6 Things Every Husband Needs to Know about Emotional Support, 10 Things Never to Say to Your Adult Children. The metaphor of adoption is used throughout the Bible to give a picture of how we become sons and daughters of God through the sacrifice of Jesus. No longer would men need a priest to mediate between them and God, because He Himself would be their teacher. The Blessing of God in Covenant. You may be familiar with what’s often called the Christmas story. Answer: When we ask why God tests us or allows us to be tested, we are admitting that testing does indeed come from Him. In the New Testament, we see God’s presence in an even more intimate fashion. God’s presence with Israel was obvious during the wilderness wanderings after the Exodus. He is omnipresent, which means He is everywhere all the time. This was the reason Christ came. Because of Jesus, Emmanuel, we never have to be alone. Article Images Copyright © 2021 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. He comforts me in challenging times. This points to grace, which comes not through human effort but rather through relying on God to do what we humans cannot. What does it mean for us to call God our Father? I have often wondered what it would be like to have spent time with Jesus like that. He is an active participant in its affairs, guiding and directing according to his divine purpose. He came as the mediator between God and man, as our Redeemer, Savior, and Friend. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast” (Psalm 139:7-10 NIV). God knows that sin, such as worshipping pagan gods, is harmful to us, so our loving God is also a jealous God … He is omnipresent, which means He is everywhere all the time. Jesus responded to him that if they had seen him, Jesus, they had seen the Father. Prayer is our most powerful connection to God. We can have no greater privilege than to have God with us. Jesus is what it means for God to be with us. He aims to overcome all our sense of abandonment and alienation. Through a select group of people, the Jews, He revealed Himself as I Am—a present, personable and knowable God—to all people, triggering within them a hunger for intimacy with their Creator. When Joseph learned about this, he determined to divorce her quietly. God gave us this child, named Emmanuel, which literally means, “with us is God,” or “ God with us.” What Emmanuel Means For Us In truth, God is and always has been with us. And he enables me to serve him. While Jesus walked side-by-side with the disciples, we have the Holy Spirit living within us. Single Session Bible Study. As Christians, we would generally say that he is. Copyright © 2021, iBelieve.com. Joel Scandrett ... which includes private morality but so much more—the very life of God in us. As the church, we are his body. To believe in God means living before His face in the hidden “Therefore do not fear them. And in Jeremiah 23:23-24, God said, “‘Am I only a God nearby,’ declares the Lord, ‘and not a God far away? It means that nothing that happens is apart from God’s ultimate purpose. In Matthew 18:20, Jesus tells us that where two or three of us gather, in his name, he will be with us. God, in the person of the Holy Spirit, is with us in a very personal and intimate way. Article Images Copyright © 2021 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. . God’s election is a theme throughout the Bible (Gen. 12:1–3; Deut. Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?’ declares the Lord. We can simply rest knowing He is with us, in us, loves us, and will never leave us. As Christians, we believe that God is both transcendent and immanent. David sought God’s testing, asking Him to examine his heart and mind and see that they were true to Him (Psalm 26:2; 139:23). Meaning of god. But just what does this little expression, “God is with us,” mean? Through a baby, Emmanuel, He drew us close despite our sin, in a way the ancient world never could’ve imagined. In truth, God is and always has been with us. What Were the Key Events in the Life of Jesus Christ? Jesus is the Word (Divine Logos) who is both with God and is God (John 1:14). He has been a Bible teacher for over 40 years and regularly blogs at A Clay Jar. ‘Do not I fill heaven and earth?’ declares the Lord” (NIV). . Jesus became that lamb. God offered King Ahaz a choice. “The image of God in humanity is critical to our understanding of what makes us human.”1 Genesis 1:26–28 is the key passage of Scripture whereby foundational teaching on the image of God begins. It’s a word written on countless Christmas cards throughout the centuries and sung in some of our most-loved carols. The Bible tells us this story in the following ways: The covenant given to Adam is also known as the first gospel or the protoevangelium (Genesis 3:15). Faith in Jesus, God’s Son, and His sacrifice for us, has saved us from eternal perdition and death. After their sin, they became separated from this presence. God wants us to seek his face because he wants to be known by us. One of the most well-known statements of the Christian faith is the Lord’s Prayer, which begins with the words “Our Father which art in heaven.” This is part of the universal treasury of Christendom. Throughout the Old Testament period, we find various ways in which God revealed His presence in special ways. He teaches me his ways. Help save a baby's life! What does god mean? They received atonement through the blood of an animal, most specifically, a lamb without blemish. In that moment when God became flesh, humanity watched prophecies unfold as hope was born. In Jesus Christ, we find the perfect model of obedience. This was what made Him so different from all the false gods the pagan nations worshiped. The Hebrew language of verse 27 makes it clear that God’s image in mankind depicts humanity as distinct from animals.2The Hebrew word for “man” in this text is adam (אדם). The Bible teaches that God loves us, yet also teaches that God is love. His name is Jesus Christ and He is the long-awaited Immanuel, which means, God with us (Matthew 1:22–25). Visit her online to learn more about her speaking or to book her for your next women’s event  and sign up for her free quarterly newsletter HERE  and make sure to connect with her on Facebook and Instagram. Speaking of God, the ancient psalmist David wrote, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Throughout the Bible, God gives many illustrations of His mercy. Does He begin making our choices for us? God, in the person of the Holy Spirit, is with us in a very personal and intimate way. God has always been present, throughout the universe. Paul provides the first of four main reasons believers are to praise God: because he chose us. But an angel of the Lord appeared to him and told him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife, “because what [was] conceived in her [was] from the Holy Spirit.” Matthew tells us, “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord said through the prophet: ‘The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a Son, and they will call Him Emmanuel—which means, ‘God with us’” (NIV). In Isaiah 7:9b, God said, “If you do not stand firm in faith, you will not stand at all” (NIV).