{"id":21019,"date":"2018-12-19T22:04:31","date_gmt":"2018-12-20T03:04:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=21019"},"modified":"2018-12-19T22:04:31","modified_gmt":"2018-12-20T03:04:31","slug":"worship-wednesday-our-god-is-with-us-emmanuel-steven-curtis-chapman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=21019","title":{"rendered":"Worship Wednesday – Our God Is With Us, Emmanuel – Steven Curtis Chapman"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"2013<\/a><\/p>\n

[Adapted from the Archives]<\/p>\n

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Isaiah 7:14<\/a><\/p>\n

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.\u00a0<\/span> But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, \u201cJoseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.\u00a0<\/span> And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus<\/span>, for He will save His people from their sins.\u201d <\/span>So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:\u00a0<\/span> <\/em>\u201cBehold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,\u201d<\/span> which is translated, \u201cGod with us.\u201d<\/em><\/strong> \u2013 Matthew 1:18-23<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

I worship in my car. You know when you are stopped at a traffic light, and your windows are buzzing with the sound of the bass in the car next to you? You look over and they\u2019re rocking out to some cool song? Well, I sometimes do the same\u2026on a quieter less rockin\u2019 level\u2026but there\u2019s still a lot going on in my car, too. Just for an Audience of One<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

When Steven Curtis Chapman<\/a>\u2019s song Our God Is With Us <\/em>comes on the radio at Christmas, my thoughts rein in to this great truth. We are not alone. God is always present with us.<\/p>\n

He brought that reality as near to us as possible in the birth of Jesus, the God-Son, born to\u00a0the virgin, Mary,\u00a0over 2000 years ago. God\u00a0revealed Himself personally through Jesus. I am no theologian, but this is very clear to me \u2013\u00a0everything I have read in Scripture on the life of Jesus, and everything I have experienced of Him myself.\u00a0My heart\u00a0resonates with the words of this song. Jesus is the \u201cImmanuel\u201d \u2013 He came to be with us \u2013 to save, to heal, to restore us to Himself. Hallelujah!<\/p>\n

Worship<\/a> with me\u2026<\/p>\n

One of us is cryin\u2019 as our hopes and dreams are led away in chains And we\u2019re left all alone. One of us is dyin\u2019 as our love is slowly lowered in the grave, oh, and we\u2019re left all alone.<\/p>\n

But for all of us who journey through the dark abyss of loneliness There comes a great announcement, we are never alone. For the maker of each heart that breaks, the giver of each breath we take, Has come to earth and given hope its birth.<\/p>\n

And our God is with us, Emmanuel He\u2019s come to save us, Emmanuel and we will never face life alone. Now that God has made Himself known as Father and Friend, with us through the end, Emmanuel, oh.<\/p>\n

He spoke with prophets\u2019 voices and showed Himself in a cloud of fire But no one had seen His face. Until the One Most Holy revealed to us His perfect heart\u2019s desire and left His rightful place.<\/p>\n

And in one glorious moment, all eternity was shaken as God broke through the darkness that had kept us apart. And with love that conquers loneliness, hope that fills all emptiness, He came to earth to show our worth.<\/p>\n

And our God is with us, Emmanuel He\u2019s come to save us, Emmanuel and we will never face life alone. Now that God has made Himself known As Father and Friend, with us through the end, Emmanuel, oh So rejoice, oh rejoice, Emmanuel has come.<\/p>\n

And our God is with us, Emmanuel He\u2019s come to save us, Emmanuel and we will never face life alone. Now that God has made Himself known as Father and Friend, with us through the end, Emmanuel.<\/p>\n

Our God is with us, Emmanuel Our God is with us, oh Emmanuel Our God is with us.*<\/p>\n