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Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. (KJV)
Now the theme of this week has been the Word of God; how the Word was with God, and was God, and how He was made manifest to us in the flesh of Jesus of Nazareth. Now when looking above you as a believer should be able to relate to this verse as well because once you were born again, God is within you also. When I was younger and brought up in a false religion, God seemed like He was somewhere far away and unattainable. Now that I have allowed the Spirit of Christ to lead me, I realize God is within me. Colossians 1:27-29 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: 28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: 29 Whereunto I also labor, striving according to his working, which works in me mightily. (KJV) Keep it real and simple; the same Word that God created the heaven and earth with is in you and desires to see you become a new creation in Christ. Jesus of Nazareth was not God anymore than you or I; however, He was willing to allow God to manifest in and through Him, and look where He ended up. Romans 8:8-10 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. (KJV) You are no longer limited and stuck in the realm of the flesh; you have access to all spiritual blessings in Christ. When you become dead to the flesh, you no longer have to live in doubt and confusion. Instead you know the truth that sets you free. That same Spirit of Christ that dwelt in Jesus of Nazareth is dwelling inside of you the believer to show you what the Word of God can do on your behalf. John 14:23-24 Jesus answered and said unto him, if a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24 He that loves me not keeps not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. (KJV) God is in Christ, the Word that He sent to us so that we could make it home. This Word is God’s Word and is able to do above and beyond what you could ever ask or think. 1Thesselonians 2:11-13 As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, 12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. 13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, you received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually works also in you that believe. (KJV) Christ in you is the Word of God which works effectually in those that believe more in the witness sent from above who is now seated at the right hand of God. This is God’s Son whom He sent so that you no longer have to live in doubt and confusion anymore. May the Word of God, Christ in you your only hope of glory, continue to dwell richly within you. God bless and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. Hebrews 4:12-13 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. (KJV)
The Word of God is a person who is now seated at the right hand of God. This Word is living and powerful; which if you allow it in, makes you alive and full of the power of God. This Word is God’s and has always been a part of the godhead or trinity as some call it. This Word works in unison with God accomplishing what He speaks. Philippians 2:11-13 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. (KJV) In order to come to a working knowledge of salvation you need to know who the Son of God is and what name He goes by. Today many only see and refer to the Son as Jesus, without knowing who Christ is. Jesus was the Son of man, the vessel God was manifest in. Christ is the Son of God who was sent to bring reconciliation, who God worked in and through to make it possible. Galatians 2:20-21 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness comes by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. (KJV) Paul made the statement that ‘he died daily’, so that more of Christ could come alive in him. Christ is the Word of God within you, and when you die to the outward influences you allow Him to resurrect daily within you. Many today frustrate the working of the Spirit by going back to the works of the law which has nothing to do with salvation. You will find the Word of God coming to life in you when you learn to walk more by faith and less by sight. 1 Corinthians 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. (KJV) We talked this week about the three that bear witness in heaven, and we see that God is listed at the top. Christ is His Son who was sent to us and took up residence in the flesh of Jesus of Nazareth. Without knowing this mystery for yourself you will get blown to and fro with mans’ winds of doctrines that can’t see beyond the outward man and claim that Jesus was God. John 17:1-5 These words spoke Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: 2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gave me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. (KJV) Jesus Christ is the complete name which gives the complete answer to how God was manifest in the flesh and justified in the Spirit. Our Lord knew His time here on earth was about to come to an end and He was going be glorified with the glory He had before the foundation of the world. God bless dearly loved and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. John 1:14-16 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. 15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, this was he of whom I spoke, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. 16 And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace. (KJV)
John the Baptist was born before Jesus of Nazareth, yet he made a statement that confused those around him, saying, “he was before me”. In order to understand and rightly divide the Word, we need to know who it is that was before him. John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. (KJV) In fact this Word is what brought John the Baptist into existence, the Word that was with God even before the foundation of the world. Without this Word nothing is made and that includes you the believer. I John 5:7-9 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. 9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. (KJV) Now some see that the Word was God so they swear up and down that Jesus then had to be God. However, the Bible is very specific to point out the simple fact that the Word is a vital part of the God head, along with God and the Holy Spirit and that these three work in unison. You will need to hear firsthand the witness of God if you truly desire to receive His eternal inheritance which is only revealed through the Holy Spirit. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. (KJV) God is in Christ, so if Christ is in you then God is there also. Now that doesn’t mean you are God anymore than it meant Jesus of Nazareth was. It means that Jesus allowed the Spirit of Christ to have more of an influence on Him than the carnal mind. What would your life be like if you followed suit? 1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. (KJV) The mystery of godliness is revealed to us throughout the New Testament and seen clearly by those that look beyond the realm of the flesh and into the Spirit for the answer. God’s Word was manifest in the flesh of Jesus of Nazareth who found justification through the Spirit of Christ working within Him. You have access to this same God who would like to manifest Himself through you; now the question is, will you allow Him? God bless dearly loved and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. (KJV)
When God saw that everything He created was good, believe it or not, that included you too. God looked at your life and the perfect plan He had for it and said it was very good. Now ask yourself honestly, is my life a good example of salvation? John 14:8-10 Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it suffices us. 9 Jesus saith unto him, have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, show us the Father? 10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwells in me, he doeth the works. (KJV) The Word of God was made flesh, and dwelt in the temple of Jesus of Nazareth. He was the first born again man who demonstrated to all believers what is possible through the Word of God which he spoke and believed in. Jesus was not God anymore than you are; however, just like Jesus of Nazareth we have God working within us, if we let Him have His way. This man was confident enough in His walk to let His actions do the speaking for Him. Not something we see much of anymore is it? John 14:10-13 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwells in me, he doeth the works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. 12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. 13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (KJV) One day the Lord asked me personally what the difference was between me and His Son, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. After pondering this question for a while I got a quick response that hit home with me. The difference was that Jesus Christ never told God what He couldn’t do through Him; instead He was willing to allow all things to be possible. Sometimes I have not, because I ask not, due to unbelief. John 6:63-64 It is the spirit that quickens; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. (KJV) Our Lord was willing to speak whatever He was hearing from God, no matter what the outward appearance dictated. Because of his faith He never fell into sin. I on the other hand have betrayed the Lord because of unbelief thinking I knew better. Bottom line, our carnal words and thoughts do not bring life in the Spirit, rather they bind the Lord from working on our behalf. God bless dearly loved; today let your words bring life in the Spirit; and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. (KJV)
Verse 1 explains that the Word was with God because it is His Word that was sent to deliver us from our own self destructive fallen natures that we have been entrapped in since the fall of Adam. Many claim that Jesus was God because of what is written in verse 1. As we go along this week we will clarify who this Word really is, and who God is revealing to His people. Hebrews 6:13-15 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself, 14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. 15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. (KJV) We serve a God who cannot lie. When He gave His Word to His people they could take comfort in the fact that it would get His results. God has sworn His promise of eternal life to any and all that are willing to live by the faith of His Son who accomplished a work of redemption for all mankind. In fact there is no greater source that we can rely on than His spoken word. I John 4:2-4 Hereby know you the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3 And every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (KJV) Speaking of someone greater, all one needs to do is look within to find the greatest answer available for any and all situations that cross your path. You have that same word of life that created the heavens and earth dwelling within you the believer even though at times you walk around like you are on your own. That same God that was working in Jesus Christ desires to work in you. In fact, He said that all that we have seen Jesus Christ do while walking this earth, we could do also and greater things. John 5:19-21 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do: for what things so ever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. 20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows him all things that himself doeth: and he will show him greater works than these that ye may marvel. 21 For as the Father raises up the dead, and quickens them; even so the Son quickens whom he will. (KJV) Take a moment and look in the mirror, because when doing so you should be seeing yourself as one of God’s sons or daughters who has access to all these works and greater. After all, if He can raise you from the dead spiritually, then why not find out everything else He has to offer you in this new life in Christ. God bless dearly loved and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. |
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