God Is With You - The Trade Off

DAVID

My little friend Gilbert when he was two had a memory verse he liked to share with us.

GoooooooooooooooooooooooDDDD IIIIIIIsssssssssssss wifyou!

The God and IS was spread out very long and then wifyou was so fast we use to laugh but its true GOD is wifyou wifus!!!!

PHYLLIS THE TRADE OFF God thought ---- I am with you

Thinking Haiti situation.... devastation to human lives... people. It impacted each of us in a different way. From a distance- what do we do? Give to organizations that are already set up. We give what we have.... Also something even more powerful that we can do.... in our class ... asked the Holy Spirit to be with each person trapped in the rubble.....

Not leave...not depart from, not leave behind, not leave alone

Not abandon or neglect, let go,

By faith... I believe He answered

By faith we believe what the Bible tells us –it says ... God is with us , I am with you

Powerful statements from a God who can’t lie....

That He will not desert you –

Instead He will restore, repair, encourage, hold on to us

***Stuffed animal & person

With is a special word... a preposition a word that talks about position........

Nice to be around, beside, on , above, below, ..... but with denotes not leaving, like a fragrance is with you ...

Throughout the Word God said, “I am with you” .... never leaving, not separated from

Why is that important?

I am with you!!!! This is the Lord saying this to each and every one of us not only today but each and every day!.

The words He puts together most frequently are ..... don’t be afraid.... I am with you

Message GENERALLY has 3 parts

- Don’t be afraid

- I am with you

- And......

DAVID

1. I am with you &........Gen 28

Jacob (feared for his life... going to find a wife with his angry brother chasing him) Jacob was wondering around not knowing what to do. He went to bed with a rock for a pillow & had a dream

12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.

13 There above it stood the LORD, and he said: "I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying.

14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.

Ge 28:15 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."NIVI

Don’t be afraid ...I am with you...& will watch over you and not leave you until I have done what I’ve promised....complete the promise

SO WHAT IS THE TRADE OFF? Like Jacob, I GIVE HIM MY FEAR ----& HE WATCHES OVER & protects ME... STAYS WITH ME... KEEPS HIS PROMISES

PHYLLIS

2. Don’t be afraid, I am with you &

God speaking to the Israelites to encourage them – strangers in a strange land.... words of comfort for the few believers and the Jews of the Exile. Israel would not be destroyed or swallowed by other nations, but a remnant would be preserved.

Isaiah 41:10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.NLT

So the God who is with you will ....

Strengthen – to be strong, alert, courageous, brave, stout, bold, solid,

to be determined, to make oneself alert, strengthen oneself, confirm oneself, persist in,

Uphold= support, hold up, hold

Don’t be afraid, I am with you & I will strengthen, help & uphold Is 41

SO WHAT IS THE TRADE OFF? I GIVE HIM MY FEAR AND HE PROVIDES for me STRENGTH, HELP & UPRIGHTNESS.

DAVID

3. Don’t be afraid, I am with you and ....

Is 43:5 "So don’t be afraid: I’m with you. I’ll round up all your scattered children, pull them in from east and west.

In Isaiah 43 the people were still in exile ... confused, discouraged, angry, feeling that God had left them & was no where around......and God sent the prophet Isaiah to comfort them to encourage them. God gathered them ..... He says

In the trials – I am with you

I am working a work in your character,