Daily Devotions

Posts tagged “Immanuel

Father Will Never Change His Mind

ShoulderHandCare.jpgIn this season of history, Jesus is still Immanuel, God with us.  Just as He was with Mary, Joseph, Zachariah and Elizabeth to intricately fulfill His CALL, in His TIME, on their lives, so He is with us, guarding and facilitating His intricate plans to fulfill His call on our lives.  He will never change His mind about what we were born to be and born to do, for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Rom. 11:29 (NKJ)  —Kathy
(Kathy will be speaking at Kingdom Congress Mar.6 at 10a.m.)
CLICK HERE for information for Kingdom Congress.  No Fee to attend.


The How and the Disappointment

Mary said to the angel,”How shall this be?” -Lk.1:34. It is interesting that Zachariah, in Lk.1:18, asked “How?” also, but the question got him in big trouble!  Luke 1:18-20 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and ManWipeBrowmy wife is advanced in years.” And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things come to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” (RSV)

There were obviously some major differences in the two questioners.   Mary was a young girl with little experience in spiritual matters, but Zachariah was a seasoned spiritual leader. There is no indication Mary had prayed for a child, and there is definitely no evidence she had prayed to birth Immanuel.  However, Gabriel had come with an answer to Zachariah’s specific prayers for a son!  Mary was a virgin with no known means of approaching her mandate.  However, Gabriel did not bring a mandate that Zachariah did not know HOW to complete.  So, technically, Zachariah was asking, “How can I be sure it will be worth the effort for me, an old man, to pursue this venture?”  That really was not an innocent request for confirmation, rather a rebuttal gathered through undeniable years of “tried and couldn’t” disappointments. —Kathy


KC2020_K Preached


God With Us Redemptively

helping someone
Emmanuel, “God is with us”, is the God-Man who was born of a virgin that God might dwell among men. Not only did Jesus, Emmanuel, live among men but He lived redemptively among men. He didn’t come to bring merely a message or a creed but He lived out redemptive acts through His life on earth. His disciples, those whom He has redeemed by His redemptive act of His shed blood on the cross must, in turn, live redemptively among men. There are too many and too much to redeem to simply live to go to heaven.

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” (Matt.1:23, NKJV)