Faith Like A Child Series

Faith Like a Child - 2

My God is With Me

December 8, 2013

Jesus said something very amazing whenever some parents were bringing children to them, these parents wanted Jesus to pray for their kids, or to touch them and lay hands on them. And the disciples weren't having anything to do with that, they were like, 'No! Keep your kids away from Jesus, He's way too important for that!'

And Jesus didn't like what they were doing. He said, 'No!' And He called the disciples on it and He said, 'Let the little children come to me.' And in Mark 10:15, He said ~

15 Truly I say to you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.

Anyone who will not receive the Kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it. And Jesus was teaching us that yes we can be intellectual, and yes we can be mature; but at the same time we should believe and trust in God with the innocence and faith like a little child.

Last week, we took a look from the perspective that “My God is for Me.” Today I want to look at the presence of God from a child’s perspective.

Adults may use one of the OMNI words for this one. We would refer to God’s omnipresence. That means God is everywhere; He's here, He's there, He's around the world, He's everywhere. A little child would simply say ~ My God is with me.

He's not just everywhere, we know that; but He's actually a very personal God who's with me. And presence really, really matters, especially to a child.

For example, if you leave a kid alone at a house the kid's going to freak out as soon as the house creaks or there's any kind of noise. I remember when my parents would be gone and I was home alone and I would get in bed. The house would be quiet and I would begin to hear creaking noises on the stairs. I would lay still in bed, just waiting for someone to come and get me. But, when there were people in the house, I don’t remember hearing those creaking noises. You see, a child takes great comfort in the presence of others.

Presence really matters to a child! A little kid isn't going to just say, "My God is everywhere, but my God is actually with me and that makes all of the difference in the world.

In Isaiah 41:10, I love the promise from God. This is what God says ~

So do not fear, for...

Why? Why shouldn’t you fear? Do not fear God says, "I am with you."

God tells us this, and because God says it, we can trust this is true! He said, So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

That’s a great promise from God to you and I. We don’t have to fear, because God is with us, we don’t need to be discouraged or distressed, because God says, “I AM YOUR GOD.” You see, God is making this personal. And He isn’t done! God says I will strengthen and help you and will hold us up! That’s great news folks! So, whatever you’re going through, and I know there’s lots of us going through lots of different things, God is with you! Don’t doubt it, even in the midst of the raging storm!

There’s that verse I say just about every week. It’s in the OT and it’s in Hebrews 13:5, God promises: Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.

You don't have to be afraid if you have child-like faith to believe that my God is always with me. And when you believe He's with you, when you really believe and trust that, you suddenly have confidence and you don't worry so much about what happens to you because you know God is with you and He's for you and He's working in all things to bring about good. You have child-like confidence “My God is with me.”

The problem is many of you, even those of you who are committed Christians, you don't believe it, you don't really believe it. You have a kind of intellectual theological understanding, "Yeah, God is everywhere!" But you don't really believe He's with you.

When you read the Christmas story in Matthew, he tells us 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means “God with us”). God sent Jesus to be with us.

God came in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, and He was on our side, He was for us and with us. But it gets better, because Jesus gave His life on the cross for us – and was raised from the dead for us. And when Jesus ascended to heaven, it was really for us. Because as Jesus ascended the Holy Spirit came to dwell, to live in each person who believes in Jesus. So, no matter where you are, no matter what you are doing, you can trust, God will never leave you nor forsake you.