“GOD IS WITH US!”

Matthew 1:18-23                      (ESV)

“18 Now the birth of JESUS CHRIST took place in this way. When HIS mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the HOLY SPIRIT.

19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.

20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the HOLY SPIRIT.

21 She will bear a SON, and you shall call HIS name JESUS, for HE will save HIS people from their sins."

22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

23 "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a SON, and they shall call HIS name Immanuel" (which means, “GOD IS WITH US”). 

Being in the hospital recently, I was obliged to watch the Hallmark Channel with my wife.  Hallmark is running Christmas Shows during this troubling time, I suppose to reduce the stress of the CORONA virus affecting this world.  One Christmas show was rather good, but it never mentioned THE GREATEST GIFT, a Savior WHO would “save HIS people from their sins."  Joseph was NOT the FATHER of JESUS, rather he was assigned a task by GOD to nurture HIS SON until “the time was right”, according to HIS PURPOSE!   

FAITH is a difficult thing to understand.  Usually BIBLICAL FAITH causes us to accept that GOD will deliver us, no matter how things appear IN THE NATURAL!  The Children of Israel had just been delivered from Egyptian captivity, yet on the banks of the Red Sea the NATURAL looked extremely bleak!  But GOD intervened by parting the Red Sea, something that unprecedented!

Is Christmas only about buying our children the latest, greatest offering from the toy store?  I’m afraid that the “church” has allowed the Christmas season to be “hijacked” by “this world”, making it something that it is not!  In reality, the conception of JESUS by the HOLY SPRIT has to be accepted THROUGH FAITH by the ones HE has CHOSEN.  One of those CHOSEN is me, not because I am worthy, but because HE CHOSE me!

John 4:24 says GOD (GOD first party) IS SPIRIT.  The HOLY SPIRIT (GOD third party) caused Mary to conceive JESUS (GOD second party).  The HOLY SPIRIT doesn’t work within the NATURAL (Exodus 14).  We cannot expect to see GOD reveal HIMSELF to us if we are limited to looking in the NATURAL!  Just celebrating CHRISTmas doesn’t transform you into a Believer.  FAITH that JESUS is “GOD IS WITH US” by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT is the ONLY way to make that happen!!!