Sometimes we’re able to just sail along through life with blue skies & calm waters. Life is good! But sometimes, the storm clouds roll in and suddenly you’re in a storm that scares you to death. The thing we have to remember in the middle of these storms is we are never alone. God is With Us!

Matthew 1:23 says “Look, the virgin will conceive a child. She'll give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means God with us.”  We encounter the presence of God at different times in our lives.  During the lowest of valleys and the high-points in life.  A lot of times it’s when we feel like we’re wandering in a wilderness. Regardless, we need to remember that the darkest moment becomes a gift, when it drives us to depend on God.

Our new series, “God with Us!” is from the angel’s message to Joseph in Matthew 1:23.  "The virgin will conceive a child! She'll give birth to a son.   They will call Him Immanuel, which means God with us."  The promise of God’s Presence is something all of us need, especially when life gets confusing. We crave that kind of re-assurance in a world that’s constantly changing.  And that was exactly what God promised that first Christmas!

When you walk with Jesus, you learn to be Grateful! The Pessimistic become More Positive. The stressed out find peace. You’ll find that with gratitude your health improves, and your relationships improve. That’s because gratitude changes everything!

Walking with Jesus takes faith. But what does that mean? What gets in the way of our "faith walk"?

Have you ever prayed for a miracle? If you have, it was probably because you already believed and were desperate for God’s help. Or it may have been because you were looking for a reason to believe like others. When you walk with Jesus, there will be miracles!

Most democrats, republicans, and independents agree that our country is headed in the wrong direction.  It can leave us feeling hopeless at times.  So, what are Christians who walk with Jesus called to do?  The first and most vital thing is to pray.  What should we be praying for?

Political ads can make us weary. So often they sound like little kids arguing with each other. Negative attacks don’t just sting, they also stick with us. When we are walking with Jesus, we are reminded who the real enemy is.

If you think ‘Walking with Jesus’ is a ‘Walk in the park’, remember that God may actually wreck your plans. If you’ve ever thought ‘I wish God would just tell me what to do!” but when He does show up, He just might take you in a totally different direction! Are you ready to surrender and follow Jesus?

How do you know who you can trust?  A good question with our upcoming election coming up.  Granted, it’s really tempting to decide that you’re not going to trust anyone! The bigger question is do we really trust God?  This is vital if we are to truly walk with Him.