{"id":22013,"date":"2017-12-21T00:05:02","date_gmt":"2017-12-21T08:05:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/?p=22013"},"modified":"2017-12-14T14:58:26","modified_gmt":"2017-12-14T22:58:26","slug":"december-21-2017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/2017\/12\/21\/december-21-2017\/","title":{"rendered":"December 21, 2017"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u201cIn My Father\u2019s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.\u201d<\/em> John 14:2-3<\/p>\n

Together Again<\/strong><\/h2>\n

This might seem an odd Scripture to use in a Christmas-themed devotional, but you may change your mind after reading this today.<\/p>\n

When prophecy was given concerning Christ\u2019s birth, He was to be called Emmanuel, or \u201cGod With Us\u201d (Isaiah 7:14). The proof of Him being God-With-Us was lived out before the peoples\u2019 eyes. Over and over in Scripture, Jesus referred to Himself as being God\u2019s exact image, speaking God\u2019s exact words, with God\u2019s exact authority, and doing God\u2019s exact works. He was, in every respect, God with us. In fact, He was, and is, and will forever be God.<\/p>\n

Though He has long since gone to the Father, He still dwells with us, in our hearts. \u201cDo you not know that you are the temple (dwelling place) of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?\u201d<\/em> (1 Corinthians 3:16) and \u201c\u2026For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: \u2018I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people\u201d<\/em> (2 Corinthians 6:16).<\/p>\n

But there is another aspect to God-With-Us: It is Us-With-God. Near the end of His life, God-With-Us said He was going to prepare a place for us, and He would come get us and take us to be there with Him. Forever and ever, we will dwell as Us-With-God.<\/p>\n

Now, in our earthly lives, \u201cin Him we live and move and have our being\u2026\u201d <\/em>(Acts 17:28). As great as it is, it is a preview of what is to come. Jesus promised to receive us to Himself. Jesus is actually waiting for us, His Bride\u2014waiting for the Father to say, \u201cNOW!\u201d<\/p>\n

What a Christmas concept. God came and dwelt with us so we could go and dwell with Him.<\/p>\n

\u201cBless You, O Lord. Thank You for sending Your Son, that Little One who grew up and changed our lives. Thank You for preparing a place for us. May we live in awareness of Your presence both now and forever. Amen.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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