Immanuel- God with us.

He Shall Be Called Immanuel

I pray you had a Merry Christmas and will have a happy new year.

If you missed it- we had an amazing Christmas Eve Service. Lot of Candles in the place, and I just want to thank everyone who made that possible- especially my wife. She went to a million different places looking for candles and doing all the things.

We made much of our Lord and Savior on the eve of the day we celebrate His birthday, didn’t we? And I could think of no better way then celebrating the birth of our Lord with taking Communion and singing Silent Night.

Then we all woke up and celebrated the birth of our Lord- I hope you started by reading Luke Chapter 2.

and I hope you got everything you wanted but more importantly, and I hope you talked about Jesus to your friends and family.

But let’s go ahead and grab your Bible if you got it, and I hope you do go, John. Chapter 1.

We are in the 5th week and final week of this series called and he shall be called.

Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)

6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

We have looked at all those names and seen how Jesus is our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

But He shall be Called- It's rooted in the prophet Isaiah prophecy about the Messiah.

We hear at Christmas a bunch where he said for to us a child is born to us. A son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulders. And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor. Mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of peace.

Well if you back up a couple of chapters to Isaiah Chapter 7 in Matthew Chapter 1, Matthew quotes Isaiah 7 and says this.

Matthew 1:22–23 (ESV)

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 with us).

The Bible helps us out, tells us what Emmanuel means, and brethren sees it says, which means God with us.

'Tis the last Sunday to sing Christmas carols until after Thanksgiving next year and one term is found in many. I

And you might be going- Why is it sometimes spelled with an “E” and in some translations its with an “I.”

Both Immanuel and Emmanuel are found in the Bible. The Old Testament is originally recorded in Hebrew and Chaldean/Aramaic. The New Testament is originally recorded in Greek.

Immanuel and Emmanuel point to the same meaning with two different spellings. Its just the way they were translated-Immanuel with an "I" is a transliteration of the original Hebrew word composed of “Immanu” (with us) and El (God), while Emmanuel with an "E" is a transliteration of the Greek "Emmanouel"

Same idea- just spelled differently. It’s like the name Caden and Aaliyah. There are 52 different ways to spell Caden and 89 ways to spell Aaliyah. Bunch of different ways to say the same thing.

Whether it is E or I Immanuel- God is with us.

How in the world is the Almighty God with us?

When we were still going to church here at Cedar Bay there was this theologian and they asked this very thought provoking question.

That made its way throughout the country, literally from coast to coast, and the question is this, what if God was one of us?

Don't know if you're around in 95 and if you were you may not have been listen to it, but the thesis went this way.

Yeah, yeah. God is great. Yeah, Yeah God is good. That's a fact.

And what if God was one of us? ok.... Just a slob like one of us? Nope, that's where it fell apart.

Just a stranger on the bus. Doesn't have to be. You can know Him.

Just trying to make his way home. Actually, what he did was left his home to fulfill His Father’s plan that was set in motion in eternity past- we first heard about it in Genesis 3:15- and the Serpent Crusher has come in the perfect fullness of time to be born of a virgin in a lowly manger- to live the life we couldn’t- to die the death that was meant for us- and He did all of that so God doesn’t have to be a stranger on a bus. You can know.

If God had a name what would it be? Immanuel is the answer to that.

Jesus is the almighty God, maker of the heavens and the earth? He became one of us- he is Emmanuel, God with us.

And I was immediately lead to the Book of John. If you got your Bibles. John 1.

And the thing is Matthew and Luke start off in the little town of Bethlehem with the baby and the manger and gives us the how. Like How was Jesus born? In what circumstances was He born.

The gospel of John gives us the behind the scenes picture. He gives us the why behind Christmas.

John 1:1–13 (ESV)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 He was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.

8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.

11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

1. There is only One God

When Isaiah prophesied the coming of Immanuel, “God with us,” he foretold a truth that would find its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Matthew 1:22-23 reveals that the birth of Jesus was not just some random event that happened by happenstance.

It changes everything about everything- the arrival of God Himself to dwell among His people.

Do you realize every major religion talks about Jesus?

When Isaiah prophesied the coming of Immanuel, “God with us,” he foretold a truth that would find its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Matthew 1:22-23 reveals that the birth of Jesus was not just some random event that happened by happenstance.

It changes everything about everything- the arrival of God Himself to dwell among His people.

And we can know Him. He can be active in our lives.

Do you realize every major religion talks about Jesus or tries to explain Him away?

Since the wonders of wonders occured and Jesus stepped off His throne to be born of a virgin to die on the cross.

All of the other major world religions and spiritual world views have since also included Jesus in some way.

The religions that followed Jesus in history modified themselves in response to him mentioned his life in Ministry or even merged him into their worldview.

But whats really interesting is that the religious systems that preceded Jesus in history has added Jesus into their religious world view in some form of fashion.

While the earliest worshipers of these false idols knew nothing about Jesus.

But the time these Faith systems progressed into the Common Era they found themselves accommodating Jesus in one manner or another.

The Jews do not argue that Jesus existed. You realize that, right? They don’t say He wasn’t real.

If they did that- they would have to say the Jewish Talmud is wrong.

The Talmud is a foundational work for Jewish religious practice and thought, and its study is a core part of Jewish education and tradition.

Sanhedrin 67a refers to a man born out of wedlock who is accused of sorcery who "led Israel astray." You know, just like how the Pharisees accused Jesus of being and what he was doing.

The Talmud refers to Yeshu performing "magic" or sorcery rather than divine miracles. You know, how the Pharisees said the same thing to Jesus?

Sanhedrin 43a speaks of the execution of a man named Yeshu who was accused of practicing sorcery and leading people astray. You know how like the New Testament says it occurred.

Like for instance-Hinduism traces its roots back to the Iron Age of India from the 12th to 6th centuries BC.

80% of India is currently Hindu.

They have a bunch of little g gods in their arsenal. They worship nature. You’ll see rocks painted on the side of mountains because that means they worshipped it.

You’ll see various temples for different little g gods in the same area.

You got a problem, they got a little g god.

They also worship and hold high cows in high esteem. If cows get on the roads- they will not move them off the road because they do not want to upset ol’ Bessie. Where’s the beef? Where ever it wants to be in India.

Modern Hindus acknowledge Jesus and have merged him into their worldview.

Hindus considered Jesus asadu and acharya believing him to be a holy man and a teacher often calling him an Ishu or Hindu saint.

Or how about Buddism?

most Buddhists acknowledge and respect Jesus's self-sacrificial life.

For this reason many refer to Jesus as an enlightened man and wise teacher even more significant the current Dalai Lama has described Jesus as a bodhisattva- which is a term used to describe someone who is on the journey toward buddhahood but has delayed his journey to Nirvana out of compassion for others.

So the religions before Jesus went back and incorporated Jesus so did the religions that came after Jesus.

Islam was founded by the Prophet Muhammad in the early 7th Century.

Muhammad claimed that while Jewish prophets in scripture were true prophets of God.

Monotheism had been corrupted by Judaism and Christianity.

He intended to restore it as a result. Muslims acknowledge much about Jesus even though they reinterpret the New Testament to suit their purposes.

Muslims believe Jesus is a prophet worthy of reverence- is a messenger of God- and is the Messiah who will sit beside God during final judgment and will return again in the future.

Other Religious worldviews- like the Hare Krishna movement and the New Age movement seek to integrate Jesus in some way.

The impact of Jesus on global Faith systems cannot be overestimated.

Do you realize that if every new testament manuscript were destroyed, we would still be able to reconstruct the essential truths of Jesus from the common acknowledgments of competing religious systems.

If you wanted to remove any trace of Jesus from human history- you'd also have to scrub the scriptures and statements of religious people all over the world

Jesus deeply matters to religious people everywhere.

Even if they do not claim a Christian identity consider for a moment the impact Jesus had on the world even in regions dominated by non-Christian worldviews.

Roughly 5.89 billion non-christians today know something about Jesus even if they've never read a page in the New Testament.

Virtually every corner of the known world has heard about Jesus in one way or another from non-Christian scriptures.

These false religions- deceived religions- demonic religions- Not all of them are demonic.

You sure about that?

Just think about this for a minute-

Who do you think the current Jewish people are following right now?

God the Father? Because Jesus said if you knew my Father, you would know me. And they don’t acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Jesus even called the scribes and the Pharisees-He said they were children of the devil. I don’t think He was doing that for shock value.

India would perform children sacrifice until William Carey- the man known as the father of modern missions- in 1794 saw “a basket hung in a tree, in which an infant had been exposed; the skull remained, the rest having been devoured by ants.” This “holy” act of infanticide had been committed with religious fervor by a Hindu mother.

By 1802 infant sacrifice was abolished by the British government thanks to Christian Missionaries to William Carey and other Christian Missionaries.

And today, if you live in india and you are a Christian they will kill you, or at the very least assault you.

A 11 year old deaf girl was beaten and left for dead by her hindu parent for refusing to deny Christ.

A Father found out his daughter became a Christian and gave her to a group of hindu men who violated her in every way, and then killed her.

These aren’t isolated incidents.

Across India, attacks on Christians and their places of worship continue to be reported in increasing number and severity.

Islam which came 600 years after Christianity- Muslims spent 400 years of aggressively taking and expanding into Christian lands. Then the first crusade occured.

Or how about this statistic- According to a German research Newspaper between 9/11/01 and April 21 2019, there were 31,221 Islamist terrorism attacks.

Muslim men will throw acid on people who convert to Christianity in the third world countries.

A muslim man in India lit his daughter on fire for refusing to deny Jesus.

Nothing makes me shake my head harder is when I see those Co-Exist Bumper Stickers.

You can’t co-exist with a religion that wants to kill you.

Any of those sound like good moral religions.

There is only one true God- and that is Jesus.

They can try to suppress the truth all they want but God will spread Himself to all nations.

It is estimated that by 2030 there be almost 300 millions Christians in China.

You cannot stop God.

John 1 says in the beginning. Sound familiar?

That takes us all the way back like Genesis 1:1 “in the beginning God.”

But in John, he says in the beginning was the word.

Now this word that we translate word. From the great word logos or logos?

It was a common 1st century concept.

Everybody understood what logos or logos was. Was divine self. Or to them, it was the principle of reason.

It was the thing behind the thing that made everything happen.

John is taking a thing that everybody knew about to explain a God that they did not know.

So in the 1st century, then they heard. They knew- it's the root word for the word logic for us. So in the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.

So this logos- this principle of reason. Is with God and is God- Co equal and yet distinct?

What John is doing here is he's describing 2/3 of the Trinity. He is describing God the father, and he's describing God the son.

And he wants us to know in verse two, he was in the beginning with God.

Now spoiler alert, this word is going to become flesh in verse 14. We know him as Jesus.

John wants us to know is Jesus was not created, but Jesus is creator and that Jesus didn't originate at Christmas, but God, the son, is eternally existent.

In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.

John 1:3 (ESV)

3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

2. Only God Offers Salvation

In other words. Jesus made it all, Jesus was not made.

There are some religions that believe God the Father created God the son and then together they got after creating everything else.

Thats the Jehovah Witness View. That Jesus was not actually God. They use the New World Translation and it says “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was A God.”

He was the archangel Michael before He was born in the little town of Bethlehem and His resurrection was a spiritual resurrection, not a physical.

But John specifically wants us to know that the second person of the Trinity, the word Jesus, that he was there from there was a beginning.

John 1:4–5 (ESV)

4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

So this is the foundation on which we are going to get Christmas.

The way one theologian describes these verses. In this introduction, he asserts the eternal divinity of Christ in order to inform us that he is the eternal God who was manifest in the flesh. The design is to show it to have been necessary that the restoration of mankind should be accomplished by the son of God, since by his power all things were created since he alone. Breathed into all the creatures life and energy so that they remain in their condition. And since in man himself he has given a remarkable display both of his power and of his grace. Even subsequently to the fall of Man has not ceased to show liberality and kindness towards his posterity.

Make sense?

Here's what he's saying. He had to save us. Jesus is the one that made us.

OK, by the way, that's my job to take things like Charles Spurgeon, AW Tozer, RC Sproul, all these really smart guys and put it in Oceanway terms.

But that's what he's saying. Because Jesus is the creator of life. When life got all messed up by us sinning against a Holy God, that not only is he the creator of all life and light. That he is also the fixer of those things.

It's what John 1:11, through the rest is all about. Then he keeps going. He's going to talk about John the Baptist for a second.

John 1:6–8 (ESV)

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.

8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

Now back to Jesus- John 1:9

John 1:9 (ESV)

9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

That’s Christmas.

John 1:10–11 ESV

10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

Now, this specifically means the 1st century Jewish people that God had set apart- that God had been preparing the Godhead, sent prophets that God had given the Torah.

Gave them the law, had given the sacrificial system. Had given a temple and everything was pointing to the Messiah and they were very, very, very religious people.

And God almighty is 3 feet away from them. They missed out a relationship.

They missed Him because they had their eyes closed or scales over their eyes. And what they were looking for was not an almighty God that wanted a personal relationship with him.

They were looking for some kind of political figure to do for them what they wanted. But I also think it means us today. Because since all of us are created by him, that means we're all his people. Are all his. And yet he has come to us. That's what Emmanuel means. And there still are some of us. Us, who have not received him.

Verse 12. The good news?

John 1:12–13 (ESV)

12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Who believed in his name, He gave the right to be Children of God.

How do you surrender your life to Christ?

John says. To believe is to receive and to receive is to believe. And this word believe in Greek. It means to trust. Trust what? Trust how?

It doesn't mean that you believe that baby Jesus showed up, went to a cross. Lot of people believe that. The demons believe that.

But did you believe in? That you trust in that. T

hat you admit I need somebody to do for me. What I cannot do for me.

Tried to fix me up my whole. It's not working and I believe that when Christ died on the cross. That counted for me, not that I've got to get myself together to prove my righteousness or worthiness to Christ, but because he was righteous and he paid the full debt, then I can receive that.

So in this moment I quit. I give up. Surrender, I confess. You're the Lord, and I'm not.

And so the way John says it is to believe is to receive and to receive is to believe.

So then the question is, So what do you receive? You receive the right to become a child of God, a child of God, no longer a slave of fear, but a child of God. And when that happens, everything changes.

Everything changes the moment you believe in, not just believe.

I'm talking about at that soul gut level. Even if you got a whole bunch of questions and you're not sure how this happened and you still got a whole bunch of stuff to work out in your life, that's why Jesus died on the cross.

And you know what? You know at the Soul level when he died on the cross that counted for me, even though I don't deserve it.

Congratulations, you're in. And that means you have the right- the right -to become a child of God.

I can’t get over that. I can’t get over the good news of the gospel. I love it. It restores my soul. He restores me soul.

And if you don’t know Him as Lord and Savior, I wish I was able to rightly describe how much I want you to experience what I have with Jesus.

Its indescribable. like- have you ever tried to get someone to love what you love?

You can’t make them do it, right? Like I love the Lord of the Rings movies. They are my favorite movies of all-time.

My office room in our home is all decked out in Lord of the Rings stuff. Walls are just covered with posters, the Gondor flag, the Roharen flag, a map of middle earth.

I have a Lord of the Rings Floor Rug in there. I’m into it. Like super nerd level into it.

For Christmas last year- I got Judah the Lord of the Rings Lego video game to start slowly bringing him into the fold so he can love it. That’s the plan.

But do you know who I can’t get to love it? My Wife.

My favorite person on the planet cannot love my favorite thing.

and she tried- It took her like 6 tries to get past the first hour of the first one- the fellowship of the ring. But she eventually got through them.

And when the credits started rolling in Return of the King- she said “I like them but they are so long”

And then she got upset with me because I had her watch the extended cuts instead of the shorter theatrical release ones.

Those movies are not her cup of tea, no matter how much I want her to love them I can’t do it.

Let me tell you something- The same way I wanted my wife to love something I loved- is the same way I want you to love God and love His Word.

I love God with all that I am and I love His Word. I want to know more about Him. I want God to reveal Himself to me in the Scriptures every time I open His Word.

That’s What I want for you as well.

I don’t want to talk anyone into becoming a Christian because if I can talk you into it. That means someone can talk you out of it.

Only through believing in the gospel and the Power of the Holy Spirit will you have Life Eternal with God.

and when that happens

3. We Become Children of God

I’m going to start with an Illustration.

Anybody know who Kate Middleton is? All of you but me, OK, so if you've never heard of her, all right, it's probably cuz you're a grown man with a hobby. Right.

But if not- Kate Middleton, she grew up just like a kind of a normal girl.

Her parents work for the airline industry. They started this little business and she was a bazillionaire and in college.

She met Prince William. And they started dating.

And people were really into. I don't know why they don't have a life, but they live theirs and then they got married.

And when they got married the whole world watched on television, apparently, I did not watch- I have not had to care about a British Royal getting married since 1776.

But when they got married. everything about her life changed. Every aspect of her life.

15 years ago, she wasn’t anybody. She could have done literally anything she wanted, unrecognizable.

But, there's no way she could just be strolling around London and go, you know, I think I'm going to go to the Queen's Palace and walk up to the door and just knock on it.

That little fellow with the funny hair cut and mustache wearing all green pokes his head out and says “Who rang that bell?”

And she looks at him and says “Can I have tea with the queen? I mean, I just felt like that's what I wanted to do and in fact, do you guys mind if I just like look around? I mean, the palace is awesome, right? It's big. I would love to just look around and in fact, is it cool with you guys if I just like, get some popcorn and sit in, you know, take my shoes off and watch some TV? Do you guys mind if I do that and in fact I bet you'll have secret stuff here? You know? I mean, it's kind of old. I bet you have one of those things where you pull the book and it goes and the door opens and I can walk. Around and like, check out the dungeons and can I do that?

What do you think they would say?

One of those guys with the fuzzy hats and the red coat. Know the little Q-tip hat would come out and remove her from the grounds at the minimum, that's what would happen

Except a few years ago, because of the love of some man to her.

Everything about her situation changed.

Her title changed, her name changed, and access to the Royal Family changed completely.

So the queen wasn't super stoked about just Kate Middleton, the daughter of the airline stewardess. She changed her name to Catherine. Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Cambridge. Not she is the Princess of Wales.

But it's still just Kate. But now not because of who she is, but because of who she's with.

She has access to everything in the Royal palace. You see, that's what it's sort of like to have the right to become a child of God.

We can go straight to God with anything and everything. I don’t have to make an appointment. I don’t check with an assistant or priest before I make a petition or give thanks to my Heavenly Father.

Let me tell you something- I’m getting closer and closer to 40 years old. And I have never and will never look at the clock when I call my parents. My in-laws are included in this.

I almost got my mother-in-law a t-shirt for Christmas that said “My son-in-law is my favorite child.”

If I need you, I’m calling you. If I just want to hear their voice, i’m calling them.

And I get so offended when my parents do not answer my call- Its the light of your life calling for the third time today- what is more important then me? I’m trying to tell you what I had for lunch.

It can be the middle of the day and I know they are busy. I got a question- I’m calling.

If i’m some random number- I’m probably going straight to voicemail. If i call several times and I’m not there son- Words will be exchanged.

If I go to my earthly parents like that- How much more do you think I go to my Heavenly Father?

It matters who you know.

John 1:12 (ESV)

12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

To all who did receive him, who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, and that changes everything.

1 John 3:1 (ESV)

1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

Charles Spurgeon said this about the Kind of love the Father had given us.

1 John Exposition

It is certainly an undeserved love, because no man can possibly deserve to be made into a child of God. Grace in this instance is the sole source of the stream of goodness. You might think it possible that you could deserve some ordinary gift, but you could not deserve such a benefit as to be made a son of God. If you had never sinned, I do not see that you could have had any right to sonship. The most faithful service does not make a servant into a son. If you had been perfect, what would you have given to God as purchase money for this high dignity? He is great and glorious without your service. To be promoted to be a prince of the royal blood of heaven—it is not possible for any man to deserve this. No works can climb to this lofty place; only faith can reach it by the power of grace.

Grace Through Faith. Thats the only way we can come to the Father through the Son.

John 1:16 (ESV)

16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

"from His fullness" speaks to the divine nature of Jesus as the complete embodiment of God’s glory, truth, and love.

As the only God with us, Jesus is not just a messenger of grace—He is the very source of it.

In Him, the infinite attributes of God are fully present. This fullness refers to His divine sufficiency, meaning He has all we need for life, salvation, and sanctification.

If we look for anything outside of Christ- we are only left wanting.

How much grace does He have?

That when we do wonder- we do leave the God we will and turn back in repentance to Him; he is right there waiting on us.

He is like the Father from the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Should be Prodigal sons because both of them are far from there father.

Its really the Parable of the Loving Father.

In Luke 15- one of his sons told him he wished he were dead and wanted his inheritance. The Father gave it to him and the kid blew it all on reckless living.

He ended up broke and working with pigs- as a Jewish man that would be the lowest of the low.

The Bible says in Luke 15:15-17

Luke 15:17–19 ESV

17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’

And so he starts heading back to His dads house, I imagine he is rehearsing that line over and over.

Verse 20 says But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

His Dad saw him. Because his Dad was looking for Him. He was waiting for His son to come back home.

and He takes off running, which is a big deal because distinguished men did not run in those days but he had to get there before His son got to the city gate or it would have been within the rights of the people of the town to kill the son on behalf of the father.

And When he gets to him- the son goes to get out his line but the dad interrupts him, tells him to bring His best rope, his ring, and shoes.

His Dad put His best robe on him. The son smells like pig and filth. And gave him the ring- only someone who speaks for the Head of the House wore the signet ring. And He gave him shoes and in that time period- only sons wore shoes. The servants were barefoot.

The son did nothing but disrespect and dishonor his father. And after spending all of the inheritance- the money is father gave him.

He came back to be a servant but is immediately being treated as a Son.

Why?

“For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.”

When someone goes from death to life. That is worth celebrating.

The Father in this parable- gave grace upon grace upon grace to His son.

Our Heavenly Father offers grace upon grace upon grace to each and everyone who will call upon the name of the Lord.

Some of ya’ll just need to turn around in repentance and God is right there waiting for you. Waiting for you to turn back so He can embrace you as a Son or Daughter again.

He wants to be in relationship with you.

Maybe you have never surrendered your life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. I would encourage you to make that declaration today.

Or maybe you have taken your inheritance and squandered it and your in the metaphorical pig pen. You can always come back home.

As we enter into this time of invitation and consecration, I pray that you respond to whatever it is the Lord is calling you to do.

I say it just about every week. Delayed disobedience is disobedience.

Let us go to the Lord in prayer.