The Word is Emmanuel

Hello, creative worship friends!

I'm glad you're in here this morning.  The "Sweet n Sassy Stamps" creative team have been working (or should I say, "playing?") hard to bring you some of the neatest samples of the June release ever! 

I've been so amazed at the different things that I've seen so far, and I'm more excited about seeing what y'all make as this month progresses.  It's awesome to see bits and pieces of God's creative hand in each of us, isn't it?  Just when you think you've seen it all, God reaches down and displays a little more of His glory through a brush, a stencil, a stamp, or just a pencil.  I love it.  I love it a lot.

It's fascinating that such a big, holy, indescribable God could think of and work through someone like you or me.  The first time man "messed up," His righteous right hand stayed in place to allow His most glorious creation to continue to exist; continue to exist, and even multiply and populate the earth with more of the same kind.

In Genesis 3:15, we find the first rendition of the sweet gospel of Grace. 
"I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."  

This here is something so far beyond what I can understand as far as God's sovereignty and redemption plan.  When the LORD speaks like this, He Himself is testifying of His own goodness and grace for mankind that was (and has been since) actively rebelling against Him.  Though we have an inborn illness of a wicked heart, God saw it as a good and self-glorifying thing to allow man an escape; freedom from this hardened heart, and freedom to a heart like His own.  There is a "Seed" that comes from a woman, and that "Seed" will indeed be in opposition to the state of the wickedness and rebellion set forth by our Adversary - the Satan. 
God speaks so beautifully into His plan of death versus Salvation in Jesus Christ, giving a picture wherein Jesus will be injured by the adversary - a temporary, non-lethal wound - and Jesus would deliver an eternal, completely lethal blow to said adversary!  The swap of battle wounds would render our enemy defeated, and our King on His Throne forever!

Throughout the rest of scripture we're given account after account and type after type of the Plan.
The Way.
Emmanuel.
God with us.
The Word.

True to form, God inspires another prophet to speak the name, "Emmanuel," to encourage and motivate the people to follow the one true God again.  Isaiah's words tie in what God has said before regarding a "Seed," and mingles it with another prophecy of a God-man that would come and dwell among man.  This Messiah would be the hope of the world; the Savior; the Christ that comes through a virgin and saves the people from their sins!

Again, in John 1, we see something called "the Word."  This is no ordinary word, and no ordinary saying.  It's not a psalm, it's not a proverb, it's not a prophecy.  It's THE Word of God - HIS Word that would be spoken across the spans of humanity, calling and curing all who would come.  It says,
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."  Then, in v.14 comes the formula for understanding this God-man in the greatest capacity possible:
"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."
The Word.
God with Us.
Emmanuel.
The Way.

That God sent His only Begotten to save the world, to cleanse us from our unrighteous ick, to replace ick with His beauty and purity, to be the Hope and Light in darkness and confusion, is the very Word we need to hear.  It's the very Word we need to breathe.  The same Word we need to dwell in us, changing us, prepping us for His eternal Kingdom. 
God is so kind. 
His love never ends.
His grace ever enough.
Jesus, we love you.

Much love, my friends.
Deeds