We’ve all read the prophecy of the coming Christ. We’ve read how He, Jesus, will be called Immanuel (which means God with us). We know the verses by memory, but do we fully understand them? Do we truly understand what the prophecy of Jesus being called Immanuel means? Join ArieRashelle as she searches through Scriptures for answers in her video, Immanuel: God With Us.
14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14
20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
Matthew 1:20-23
The Fulfillment of Immanuel
Immanuel means God with us. God has finally come to dwell with man forever and He will one day physically dwell on earth with His people.
16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
John 14:16-17
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God.”
The birth of Jesus Christ is an undeniable historical event. Though Christ’s birth, in itself, is undeniable, His sinlessness is often brought into question. So, was Jesus born sinless? And if He was born sinless, how is that possible? Join ArieRashelle as she searches through Scripture for the answer in our video, Was Jesus Born Without Sin?
Hebrews 4:15 1 John 3:5 Genesis 3:6-7 Romans 5:12 Genesis 5:3 1 Corinthians 15:45 Luke 1:34-35 Genesis 3:15 Romans 3:21-25 1 Timothy 2:14 Luke 4:1 Hebrews 4:14-16 1 Timothy 2:5-6
How Was Jesus Born Without Sin?
The Birth of Jesus Christ
How was Jesus born sinless? Jesus was able to be born without sin because Jesus was born to a virgin and He was conceived from the Holy Spirit.
34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.”
Luke 1:34-35
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
We’ve all heard the phrase, the Immaculate Conception. In fact, we’ve probably used it in a sentence or even an argument, but do we really know what it is? According to the Catholic belief, Mary was born without sin, but is this true? Was Mary kept from sin because God favored her? Does Romans 3:23 have exceptions, including Mary? Join ArieRashelle as she searches through Scripture to find the truth behind these claims in her video, The Immaculate Conception.
Luke 1:28-33 Esther 4:13-14 Romans 3:23 Romans 1:20 Luke 1:46-47 Acts 4:12
The Immaculate Conception
The Birth of Christ Foretold (AKA the Call of Mary)
According to the Catholic belief, the Immaculate Conception is plain in Gabriel’s message to Mary. The problem with that is that Gabriel never once says that Mary was kept from sin from the point of her conception. He never even hints at this.
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David, 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”
Luke 1:26-33
Was Mary without sin?
According to the Catholic belief, the Immaculate Conception of Mary made her an exception to Romans 3:23.
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 3:23
The problem here is that Paul, influenced by the Holy Spirit, doesn’t say some or most; he writes that ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Mary herself acknowledges this in Luke 1:47.
46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,”
Luke 1:46-47
I personally believe that this idea of the Immaculate Conception was born out of the Catholic’s desire to elevate Mary from regular human to divine mother.
In John 14:28, Jesus declares that He must return to His Father for His Father is greater than Him. This single verse records Jesus declaring the Father to be greater than He seems to completely destroy the Trinity argument since Jesus would be beneath the Father, which would mean He isn’t equal to God. Is that what Jesus was saying? Is the Father greater than Jesus? If so, is Jesus God, or is He just a man? Does that then mean that there is no Trinity? Join ArieRashelle as she searches through Scripture to explain Jesus’ words, “The Father is Greater Than I” in John 14:28.
John 14:28 John 8:28-29 John 8:54 Matthew 24:35-36 1 Corinthians 14:33 Mark 4:10-12 2 Corinthians 3:14 John 1 Genesis 1:1 Genesis 1:26-27 Deuteronomy 6:4 Matthew 12:29-30 James 2:19 Hebrews 5:11-14 Philippians 2:5-11 Revelation 2:8 Revelation 3:7 Revelation 22:12-13 Revelation 5:5-6 Revelation 5:1-5 Acts 4:11-12 Revelation 19:11-13 John 1:14
More On ‘The Father is Greater Than I’
They Have Different Roles:
While only the Father knows the day or hour of the return of the Son of Man, Jesus also has things that only He knows.
11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
Acts 4:11-12
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:5-11
11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems, and He has a name written that no one knows but Himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which He is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following Him on white horses. 15 From His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
Revelation 19:11-16
Jesus’ Authority:
Jesus speaks differently about Himself after the resurrection. He no longer claims that ‘The Father is Greater Than I,’ instead He claims He is the Alpha and the Omega with all authority in heaven and on earth.
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18
5 And He who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also He said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.”
According to John, the Word of the LORD is God, but does that make sense? Is the Word God, or is the Word just an ‘it’, not an actual entity or person? Is this Word the light or life that the LORD God used to create everything we see and everything we don’t see? Or is there more to the story since Jesus said He (and His Father) is the light and life? Join ArieRashelle as she searches through Scripture to answer the question, What or Who Is the Word of God?
John 1:1-2 Genesis 1:1-2 John 1:3 Job 9:8 Isaiah 44:24 John 1:4-5 John 8:12 John 11:25-27 John 14:6 John 1:6-18 Revelation 19:11-16 Revelation 17:14 John 1:28-29 Revelation 7:13-14 Hebrews 4:12 1 Peter 1:22-23 Ephesians 6:17
The Word of the LORD
The Word is God
John 1:1 says, “1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Here are a couple of instances of the Word of the LORD declaring Himself to be the LORD God.
1After these things the Word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”
7 And He said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.”
Genesis 15:1, 7
10 The Word of the Lord came to Samuel: 11 “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments.” And Samuel was angry, and he cried to the Lord all night.
1 Samuel 15:10-11
Whenever the Word of the LORD comes to someone, it’s as an actual living entity declaring to be the LORD God. This is because the Word of the LORD isn’t just God speaking, but it’s the LORD God Himself. The Word of the LORD is one of the members of the God-Head, the Trinity.
The Word is the Creator
According to John 1:3, 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. Here are a couple of instances of the LORD God saying He is the only creator.
5 I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me, 6 that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other. 7 I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who does all these things.
11 Thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him: Ask me of things to come; will you command me concerning my children and the work of my hands? 12 I made the earth and created man on it; it was my hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host.
Isaiah 45:5-7, 11-12
4 Give them this charge for their masters: ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: This is what you shall say to your masters: 5 “It is I who by my great power and my outstretched arm have made the earth, with the men and animals that are on the earth, and I give it to whomever it seems right to me.”’
Jeremiah 27:4-5
According to the LORD God, He is the sole creator of all things. Therefore, if the Word of the LORD created all things, then He is one of the members of the God-Head.
The Word is Light and Life
John 1:4 says, 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The Word of the LORD is light and life, which is eerily similar to what Jesus said about Himself. Here are few instances of Jesus saying that He is the light and life.
The Life
25 Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son also to have life in Himself. 27 And He has given Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.
John 5:25-27
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
1 John 1:1-3
The Light
35 So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”
John 12:35-36
44 And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in Him who sent me. 45 And whoever sees me sees Him who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.”
John 12:44-46
The Word of the LORD is Jesus. Jesus is the light and life of the World. Jesus is the Creator. And most importantly, Jesus is God. The Word of the LORD is the light and life because the Word of the LORD is Jesus, the Son of God.
The Belt of Truth; The Breastplate of Righteousness; The Gospel of Peace; The Shield of Faith; The Helmet of Salvation; The Sword of the Spirit. As Christians, one of the first things we learn is the Armor of God. Paul tells us to put on the Full Armor of God, but do we really understand what the Armor of God is? Do we know why we are to put on the Armor in that order? Was it random that God gave us the Belt of Truth first? Join ArieRashelle as she searches through Scripture to find answers to these questions and more in our latest video, The Armor of God Pt. 1: What Is It?
Ephesians 6:10-18 Romans 10:9 Ephesians 4:30 John 16:13 John 8:31-32 Leviticus 20:5-6 Ezekiel 6:9 Ezekiel 20:30 Ephesians 5:25-27 Titus 3:4-7 Jeremiah 17:9-10 Matthew 15:18-20 Galatians 5:22-23 John 14:26-27 Matthew 14:28-33 Luke 10:17-19 Hebrews 11:6 Ephesians 2:8 Hebrews 11:1 Luke 8:11-15 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 1 Peter 5:8 Revelation 1:16 John 4:25 Hebrews 4:12 Ephesians 6:12
What is the Armor of God?
Prayers To Put on The Armor of God
The Armor of God is compiled of six different pieces of armor: The Belt of Truth; The Breastplate of Righteousness; The Gospel of Peace; The Shield of Faith; The Helmet of Salvation; The Sword of the Spirit.
A.G.: The Belt of Truth
16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him. 18 Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
John 3:16-18
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come.
John 16:13
A.G.: Breastplate of Righteousness
1 My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you; 2 keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye; 3 bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
Proverbs 7:1-3
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Psalms 51:10
A.G.: The Shoes of The Gospel of Peace
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.
John 14:26-28
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.
John 16:33
A.G.: The Shield of Faith
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
Ephesians 2:8
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Romans 10:17
A.G.: The Helmet of Salvation
9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9
A.G.: The Sword of the Spirit
24 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and Truth.
John 4:25
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 6:12
12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
The End Times and The Final Judgment were important topics during Jesus’ Ministry and after, during the Apostles’ ministries. Jesus, in fact, continuously warned the people of His time and ours about the dangers of sin and how it would separate us from God for all Eternity.
Jesus even went as far as to say that He would not only deny us before His Father if we deny Him before men but that He wouldn’t even know us if we chose to live in sin. But what does that mean that He never knew us? What about those who walked away from the Faith? Does that mean they were never truly saved? Join ArieRashelle as she searches The Scriptures to answer these questions in our latest video, I Never Knew You.
Matthew 7:21-23 2 Corinthians 5:16-17 2 Peter 2:20-22 Jeremiah 1:5
More “I Never Knew You” Verses
32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 10:32-33
10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11 The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with Him; 12 if we endure, we will also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He also will deny us;
2 Timothy 2:10-12
24 Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then He will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’
Luke 13:24-27
10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with Him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But He answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
“18 give thanks in all
circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” ~
1 Thessalonians 5:18
A verse that can easily be taken out of context and misunderstood. Bad things will happen. That’s life. But bad things happening, isn’t the will of God. “11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 is just one example that God only wants what’s good for you. Then why do bad things happen? Because we live in a world run by sin. God gave us this Earth as our home, but we gave the deed over to the enemy when Adam and Eve ate of the Forbidden Fruit. The Earth is no longer good. The world has corrupted it, so bad things will happen. But God’s will is that no matter what happens, you give thanks.
153,424 people die every day. As someone who recently lost a very close loved one, it would be a lot easier to be mad at God, myself, the world. It would be easier to become bitter and angry, but that’s not God’s will. Give thanks in all circumstances, not because they’re gone, but because of the time you had with them. The impact they made on your life. The love they showed you. The things they taught you. And the legacy they left behind. Be thankful even when it’s difficult.
When you are poor, but at least you have a roof
over your head. When you are falsely accused, but still breathing. When you’ve
lost everything, but still have your life. Give thanks. But don’t become
complacent. Always strive for better, but remember to be thankful for what you
have now so that when you have more, you can be thankful for that too.
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.” ~ Luke 6:46 – 49
Contrary to popular belief, Jesus didn’t just preach grace. Jesus taught grace, but just like everything, grace has a limit as well. Many called Him LORD and said they followed Him, and you know what Jesus did? Jesus looked at them and explained what would happen to them. He explained when you have grace and how to have grace. We love to paint Jesus as a free loving; everything goes, hippy. But He’s not. He wasn’t. And He will never be.
When people called Him LORD, He didn’t just say thank and then let them go back to sinning. He told them they needed to make a stand if they wanted to follow Him. Jesus even took it a step further by explaining who that person is like and what would happen to them. He explained that even though you call me LORD, that doesn’t mean when the storm comes, I’ll be there. Now that sounds harsh, but let’s put this into perspective, shall we?
When we meet a celebrity and tell them we’re their biggest fan, know everything about them, would follow them anywhere, and bow down to them, they don’t suddenly go “oh my gosh yes! Need anything, hit me up! I got you!” No, you need to have a relationship with them if you want their help. So if you have to be friends with a celebrity to be able to call them and they come to get you, and Jesus is higher than any celebrity, why do you think Jesus doesn’t have the same or higher standards?
Jesus doesn’t just rescue everyone from the storm. It would nice to think like that, but it’s just not true. Jesus doesn’t move unless you call Him. But in order to call Him, you have to know His number. Get to know Him. Spend time with Him daily. Follow His commands. Build your foundation on the rock, so that when the rains and floods come, He’ll be there with you and your house won’t be destroyed.
How is Jesus there with you? He’s the rock you built your house on. Jesus is the one holding your house, your life, your mind, your soul, your person from being destroyed. He holds His people. But the only way you become one of His people is by crucifying your flesh every day, carrying your cross, and following Him. It isn’t easy, it isn’t clean, it isn’t fun, but it’s worth it in the end.
Once a year, the High Priest would enter into the Holy of Holies and present an offering on the Mercy Seat before the LORD. When Jesus died for our sins on the cross 2,000 years ago, He fulfilled the final and perfect sacrifice. But what exactly does the Day of Atonement have to do with us today? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he connects the past to the present in our latest message, The Day of Atonement.
26 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 27 “Now on the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be for you a time of holy convocation, and you shall afflict yourselves and present a food offering to the Lord. 28 And you shall not do any work on that very day, for it is a Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God. 29 For whoever is not afflicted on that very day shall be cut off from his people. 30 And whoever does any work on that very day, that person I will destroy from among his people. 31 You shall not do any work. It is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwelling places. 32 It shall be to you a Sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict yourselves. On the ninth day of the month beginning at evening, from evening to evening shall you keep your Sabbath.”
