Abiding in Emmanuel Part 1

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

Emmanuel, Emmanuel
His name is called Emmanuel
God with us, revealed in us
His name is called Emmanuel  

Bob McGee's lovely praise song often resonates in my spirit. The words “God with us, revealed in us” especially capture my heart and remind me of Paul’s words in Acts 17:28: “. . . for in Him we live and move and have our being.”  

When Paul’s declaration becomes embedded in our spirits, the concept of Emmanuel, God with us shifts from being a passive knowledge of truth to an active experience of deliverance, warfare, victory, and the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. While we delight in and invite the manifest presence of God into our worship, we often fail to remember that His presence indwells us and empowers us every single day.  

God has spent more than half a century taking me through a learning curve that I am sure will continue on into and throughout forever.  Much of that time was been devoted to my unlearning erroneous concepts that blurred my understanding of my covenant relationship through the sacrifice of Jesus.  I had to unlearn false concepts in order to open my mind and my heart to truth.   

One of the scriptures that turned on the light for me was John 10:10-11 (NKJV):
^“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.  I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.”

The Holy Spirit implanted in my spirit three important truths from this passage:

1.  Sin is anything that will steal my joy, my hope and even my possessions.  The practice of sin will kill my dreams, my relationships and even my future.  Satan continually seeks to destroy my covenant relationship with God.

2.  The testimonies, precepts and statutes of scripture are not sent by God to trip me up and make life more difficult for me.  The commandments  (statements) are, instead, given to lead me into His abundant life.  Life is not more difficult when I follow His leading.  It is, in fact, less difficult and more fulfilling. Through the learning process, I have begun to sing with the psalmist:

Psalm 119:11-18 (NKJV)
^“Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You!
Blessed are You, O LORD! Teach me Your statutes!
With my lips I have declared All the judgments of Your mouth.
I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, As much as in all riches. I will meditate on Your precepts, And contemplate Your ways.
I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.
Deal bountifully with Your servant, That I may live and keep Your word. Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law.”

3.  God is not a harsh task master ready to rain down hail fire and brimstone every time I stumble.  He is a good shepherd, guiding, directing and correcting me as I walk the path to abundance and even more abundance in Him.

 

The desire of God’s heart is that we live abundant, joyful, peaceful lives in Him. Through His Word and His abiding presence, we can grow in our relationship with Him and enjoy the abundance of the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. In Him, we eat of the Tree of Life and that life is abundant.