God With Us, pt. 3 - In the Manger

Passage: Matthew 1:23, Luke 2

The manger is marvelous. It shows us the heart of God by introducing us to the heart of God—His one and only Son, Jesus.

Key Takeaways:

• The Christmas story is one story—from the manger to the cross to the empty tomb.
• Jesus was born to die, and Jesus died so that you and I might live.
• Christ took the fall for you.
• The cross wiped away your debt; the resurrection brings new life.
• This gift started in a manger—and it was given to both the simple and the privileged.
• He came for us while we were still sinners.
• Because we have Immanuel—God with us—God doesn't have to be without us.

God With Us, pt. 2 - In the Fire

Passage: Daniel 3

There was a fourth man in the fire, and I know that’s where you’ll be. In the midst of our most trying times, God is with us every step of the way.

Key Takeaways:

• Choosing God can turn supporters into enemies.
• When faced with the fire, we must fight the temptation of the easy way out.
• Our God is able to deliver us—but even if He does not, we will not serve other gods.
• Faith isn't a get-out-of-jail-free card; we can make the right choice and still find ourselves in the fire.
• Although we may find ourselves touched by the flames, we will not be destroyed.
• Faith in the fire is met with fellowship with the Father and eventual freedom from the flames.
• Escape doesn't come from the changing of our circumstances but the resolve of our focus.
• Our time in the fire has the potential to bring glory to God.

Passage: Exodus 13, 16, 17

God is with His people every step of the way. Exodus is the perfect example of His presence and provision.

Key Takeaways:

• Just because God is with you does not mean your time in the desert will be short-lived.
• What might seem like an inconvenience could just be our saving grace.
• Sometimes the suffering we know is more comfortable than the suffering we imagine.
• The Lord will fight for you; you need only be still.
• If God takes you into the desert, He's already paved your way to get out of it.
• Sometimes our time in the desert causes us to forget our time in chains.
• Lessons aren't a life sentence.
• Don't try God's patience when you should trust His provision.

Passage: 1 Cor 4:7, Ephesians 5:4, Psalm 118 and 136

Thankfulness results in joy, and joy in a relationship. Prayer is the means of our relationship with God; the two are not exclusive. Every prayer should contain thanksgiving.

Key Takeaways:

• Happiness is temporary and often triggered by external factors; joy is deeper, more enduring, and connected to purpose and relationships.
• Everything you have comes from God and is a gift.
• Joy and prayer go together—always be joyful and never stop praying.
• When we talk to God regularly with thanksgiving, we develop an attitude of gratitude.
• Thanksgiving isn't a one-and-done; it should be every day.
• When you live with an attitude of gratitude, you experience joy—and with joy you can deal with any circumstance.
• If God has made your cup sweet, drink it in grace; if He has made your cup bitter, drink it in communion with Him.

Passage: Psalm 95:2, 2 Cor 4:15

Recognizing what good exists in our lives results in one option: praise. It should flow out of us like an uncontrollable wave, which swells only to crash upon the shores once again.

Key Takeaways:

• Stop expecting to be served by worship and instead look to serve through worship.
• True worship comes from grateful hearts.
• Worship and gratitude are intertwined—there is no true worship without gratitude.
• Gratitude encourages peace; grumbling encourages agitation.
• Gratitude keeps us at peace and encourages unity.
• The whole of our lives should be acts of worship.
• Worship shifts our focus from our current circumstances to the throne of God.
• Worship is less about what you're doing and more about why you are doing it.

Passage: Psalm 105:9, 2 Chron 5:13

All good things are from God, and bad can be made good through God. We must acknowledge His goodness at all times.

Key Takeaways:

• Gratitude starts with the acknowledgement of God.
• The acknowledgement of God helps protect us against temptation.
• Gratefulness can only happen when worry is removed.
• Worry eliminates trust, and trust is the foundation of gratefulness.
• Acknowledging God is a complete action that requires our whole selves.
• You can either let your struggles define you, or you can let the goodness of God define you.
• Gratefulness ultimately keeps you on the right track.

Passage: 1 Thess 5:18, Phil 4:6

Highs and lows. From one day to the next, we can be on the mountain, down in the valley, and then back on top of the mountain again. Wherever we are, we must give thanks at all times.

Key Takeaways:

• Stop looking at your circumstances as a measure of God's love.
• Measure God's love by the cross.
• Make a habit of seeing God in all things.
• You can either accept the gift or you can decry the grind.
• The valleys do more for us than the mountaintops ever could.
• Compare your problems to your God.

In Christ Jesus, you have become a new creation and a son of God.

• We compare ourselves now in Christ to ourselves before without Christ.
• The second comparison is ourselves now in Christ to the fullness of Christ.
• The first appreciates how far I have come. The second recognizes how far I’ve left to go.
• We are new.
• Newness is from God, who graciously, through Christ, doesn’t hold sin against those who are in Christ. 
• We are new creations because we move from enemies of God to children of God.
• Your old garments are gone, clothed in Christ, you have a new identity that comes with the full rights of the citizenry of heaven.
• You were hostile to God.
• You could not please Him.
• But Christ could and did.
• In Christ alone, you have been chosen, loved, redeemed, justified, and made new, by the grace of God. 

2 Corinthians 5:17-21, Titus 3:5, John 3:6-8, Revelation 21:4-5, Galatians 3:26-29, Romans 8:1-2,5-7,8,10,13,17,37-39

In Christ Jesus, you were redeemed and forgiven for all your sins.

• We can become the righteousness of God because of Christ's work on the cross.
• We can become righteous because Christ was sinless.
• We can be righteous because Christ took on our sin.
• We can be righteous because God willed Christ to be our sin.
• We can be righteous because Christ's righteousness is attributed to us.
• We can be righteous through faith in Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:21, Galatians 2:20, Hebrews 4:15, 1 John 3:5, John 1:29, Isaiah 53:7 & 12, 1 Peter 2:24, 1 John 2:2, Isaiah 53:4-6 & 10, Romans 5:17, Ephesians 2:8, Philippians 3:8-9, Titus 1:6-9

In Christ Jesus, you were redeemed and forgiven for all your sins.

• Redemption - The forgiveness of sins is a gift of the grace of God.
• Christ not only frees you from slavery but he also removes what causes the affliction to begin with.
• Your worth is measured in the blood of Christ.
• Your rescue is not provided with the perishable but the priceless, irreplaceable blood of Christ.
• It’s always been about his unmatchable ability to bring about the redemption and restoration of the sinner.
• Only Jesus is capable of redemption.
• Christ left Glory and took on human form to be your substitute.
• Jesus' authority to forgive sins exists because of his deity.

Ephesians 1:7, Ephesians 2:13, Ephesians 1:6, 1 Peter 1:18-19, Philippians 2:6-8, Colossians 2:8-9, Mark 2:6-10, Isaiah 53:4-5