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During Jesus's ministry on Earth, he spoke words that were life-changing and timeless. He often used parables, metaphors, and figurative language to help people understand his character and purpose. When Jesus spoke, people were challenged, encouraged, and motivated. His words gave peace, restored hope, and increased faith.
The words of Jesus Christ are so powerful that they even raised the dead. When Jesus came to the tomb of Lazarus, the Bible says he cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus come forth," and Lazarus was raised from the dead back to life because of the spoken words of Jesus.
Before raising Lazarus, Jesus entered into a conversation with Martha, which took place in John 11 from verse 21 to 25. Martha said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not die." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha answered, "I know my brother will rise again in the Resurrection on the last day."
Then Jesus declared to her: > "I am the resurrection and the life."
In that declaration, the key word is I AM. This is the most powerful word in that statement because I AM is his name, I AM is his identity, and I AM is his nature and his character.
Throughout the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, Jesus used "I AM" to describe himself. In Genesis 17, verse 1, the Bible says Jesus appeared to Abraham and said, "I am God Almighty," which means ultimate power over all.
In Revelation 22, verse 3, Jesus said: > "I am Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last."
In the Book of John, chapter 8, verse 58, Jesus said to them, "Verily, verily, I said unto you before Abraham was, I AM." When Jesus told them "before Abraham was I AM," he was telling the Pharisees, "I am the true and living God." He was making a declaration of truth.
The Apostle John also declared this truth regarding the nature of God in John 1, verse 1: > "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Notice that the Gospel of John opens with the same three words that the Book of Genesis opens with. Genesis 1, verse 1 says "In the beginning," and John 1, verse 1 also says "In the beginning." When Jesus told them that in the beginning he was there, he was declaring that he was in the beginning from creation. Jesus is the Word that was there from the beginning. Jesus is the Creator. That is why he said, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God." And that is why Jesus said, "I AM."
Jesus is who he said he is, and he will forever be, because I AM is forever. I AM is eternal. I AM is everlasting to everlasting. It will always be I AM.
In the Book of John, there are seven times when Jesus used the name "I AM," and each I AM statement gives us a glimpse of his character and what he is like:
Seven times he declared himself as I AM.
In Exodus, the second book of the Bible, Jesus introduced himself to Moses as "I AM that I AM." When Jesus called himself I AM, he revealed his name, and his name revealed his character.
After Moses killed an Egyptian slave master, he fled from Egypt and settled in the land of Midian for 40 years. In Exodus 3, verse 1, the Bible says, "Now when Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, he led the flock to the far side of the desert and he came to Mount Horeb."
Mount Horeb is the Mount of God. Mount Horeb is another name for Mount Sinai, the mountain where the Hebrew people entered into a covenant with God after escaping from Egyptian bondage. Mount Horeb is also the place where Moses received the Ten Commandments, the laws and instruction for the people of Israel before continuing on their journey to the promised land.
At Mount Horeb, God appeared to Moses in a burning bush. God called his name, and Moses answered, "Here I am." God said, "Don't come any closer. Take off your shoes, because the place that you are standing is Holy Ground."
In the Bible, fire often represents God's glory, God's holiness, God's presence, and God's cleansing. The ground was holy because the presence of God was there. Anywhere the presence of God is, that place is Holy. Mount Horeb was a Holy Mountain because of the presence of God.
We cannot take the presence of God lightly. We cannot take the presence of God for granted. We have to approach God with reverence and respect.
When God told Moses to take off his shoes, he was showing Moses something important. When you enter someone's home, they ask you to remove your shoes because you have been wearing them outside and they have gathered dust and dirt. Moses was about to enter the most holy place, but his shoes were dirty because of the desert.
Anything that is dirty is considered to be unclean, and anything that is unclean spiritually is unholy. Taking off the sandals is a sign of spiritual cleansing.
Anything that you do out of the will of God is sin, and sin will prevent you from being in God's presence. The presence of God is the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of God cannot dwell in a dirty vessel.
In order for you and me to carry the presence of God, or for God to dwell in us and around us, we have to be holy. That is why God said in 1 Peter: > "Be ye holy because I am Holy."
Holiness is to be God's standard of living. God desires for us to be holy so his presence can dwell among us.
Young converts, the journey that you are on right now—don't allow anything to disconnect you from the presence of God. Don't allow anything to prevent God's presence in your life. Continue to live for God and live the way he wants you to live. Live a life that is pleasing and acceptable unto God. Make sure your life honors God so his presence can dwell among you.
Moses was a murderer, so his hands were dirty. But God wanted Moses to go back to Egypt to rescue his people out of slavery and to lead them to a land flowing with milk and honey. Although Moses's past was dirty, what did Moses do? Moses surrendered in the presence of God. Moses repented before God. And God cleaned him up and made him holy, and then used him for his glory.
The removal of sandals is a sign of surrendering, repenting, and spiritual cleansing. You might have a past, but God can still use you. But first, you have to surrender and repent so he can clean you up and make you holy, and then use you for his glory. For God to enter into a conversation with you, he has to clean you up first.
When Moses took off his sandals, God said to him, "I am the God of your father. I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I have seen the Affliction of my people, and I have heard their cry." God wanted Moses to go back to Egypt to deliver them out of slavery.
Moses was commissioned by God with a word for his people. In Exodus 3, verses 13 to 15, the Bible says, "Moses said unto God, 'Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel and I shall say unto them, The God of your father have sent me unto you, and they shall say unto me, What is his name?'"
In verse 14, God said: > "Tell them I AM that I AM. That is his name. Tell them I AM sent me unto you."
The name I AM is connected to other names in the Bible. In Isaiah 42, verse 8, the Lord said: > "I am the Lord. That is my name."
When God told Moses to tell the Israelites "I AM sent me unto you," he wanted them to realize: "I AM your Lord. I AM your deliverer. There is no other. There is none beside me. There is none like me. There is none that can compare to me. There is none that can stand in my presence. There is none that can do what I can do. I AM God over all gods. I AM great. I AM mighty, and nothing is too hard for me to do."
I AM is the only one who can rescue them out of the hands of Pharaoh. I AM is the only one.
MyBrothers and sisters, whatever bondage you are in right now—spiritual bondage—I AM can deliver you. Whatever chain you are in right now, I AM can loose you and set you free.
My unsaved friend, I AM is here. I AM is here to set you free from sin. I AM is here, and he is calling you today. The pool is ready. The water is troubled. He is calling you today. If you accept the call, your life could be transformed forever.
I AM is calling you. He wants to give you a new life, a spiritual life, which means you are born again in Christ. Do you want a new life in Christ? The pool is ready. Answer the call. Jesus is knocking on the door of your heart today. Open your heart and let I AM in.
Don't wait until tomorrow. Tomorrow might never come. Tomorrow might be too late. Let him in today. I AM is here to set you free from your sin. Don't go back with your sin. Repent. Confess. I AM is here to set you free.
The pool is ready. The water is troubling. I AM is troubling the water this morning. Don't go back the way you came. I AM wants to loose you and set you free from sin and give you a new birth, a new birth in Christ, which means you are born again.
One of the best things I ever did in my life was when I accepted I AM as the Lord and savior of my life, and I have no regret today, and I won't turn back. What are you waiting on? What are you waiting on?
Young converts, you have made the right choice this morning. You have made the right choice. Let me say this to you: the journey is not going to be easy, but I AM is not going to let you down. I AM is not going to fail you. I AM is not going to turn his back on you. But I AM is going to be with you to the end. I AM is going to fight for you. I AM is going to win for you. I AM is going to give you the victory.
Don't worry about the journey. I AM is with you.
Knowing the name I AM will help you to trust him with all of your heart. "Lean not on your own understanding." Knowing the name I AM will help you to walk by faith and not by sight. Knowing the name I AM will help you in hopeless situations. Knowing the name I AM will direct your path. Knowing the name I AM will help you to face life challenges.
It is important to know his name.
Whatever you are going through this morning, whatever you are facing, whatever the challenges are, whatever stands before you—you may find yourself in a Red Sea moment where there seems to be no way. You may feel like you cannot go forward because the Red Sea is in front of you, and you may feel you cannot go back the way you came from because fear and his army block you.
But when there seems to be no way out of your situation, there is only one answer: Look to I AM. Look to Him and call on his name. I AM will deliver you out of your problems. I AM will deliver you out of your troubles. I AM will protect you from harm and danger.
Whatever you want I AM to be for you this morning, he will be for you. He will be your deliverer. He will be your protector. He will be your way maker. He will be your Miracle Worker. He will be your problem solver. He will be your light in the darkness. He will be your bridge over troubled waters. He will be your rock in a weary land, and he will be the lifter of your head.
Whatever you want I AM to be, he will be for you.
Early on, I talked about the Alpha and the Omega. Alpha is the first word of the Greek alphabet and is defined as something that is first. It is also described as something powerful. Omega is the 24th and the last word of the Greek alphabet and means the final part.
God was with us at the beginning, and he will be with us to the end. When you pray to Alpha and the Omega, you are praying to the one who is, who was, and who is to come.
Young converts, the journey that you have started—obstacles will come, roadblocks will come, but nothing will stop you from going forward. Our all-sufficient Lord, I AM, will never fail to complete the work that he has done in you. Philippians 1, verse 6 says: > "He that began a good work in you is faithful to complete it."
Don't worry. He is faithful to complete the work that he has done with you.
My brothers and sisters, at the shout of my voice, whatever you are going through, don't look to the east or west for help. Look to I AM. God bless you.
During Jesus's ministry on Earth, he spoke words that were life-changing and timeless. He often used parables, metaphors, and figurative language to help people understand his character and purpose. When Jesus spoke, people were challenged, encouraged, and motivated. His words gave peace, restored hope, and increased faith.
The words of Jesus Christ are so powerful that they even raised the dead. When Jesus came to the tomb of Lazarus, the Bible says he cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus come forth," and Lazarus was raised from the dead back to life because of the spoken words of Jesus.
Before raising Lazarus, Jesus entered into a conversation with Martha, which took place in John 11 from verse 21 to 25. Martha said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not die." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha answered, "I know my brother will rise again in the Resurrection on the last day."
Then Jesus declared to her: > "I am the resurrection and the life."
In that declaration, the key word is I AM. This is the most powerful word in that statement because I AM is his name, I AM is his identity, and I AM is his nature and his character.
Throughout the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, Jesus used "I AM" to describe himself. In Genesis 17, verse 1, the Bible says Jesus appeared to Abraham and said, "I am God Almighty," which means ultimate power over all.
In Revelation 22, verse 3, Jesus said: > "I am Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last."
In the Book of John, chapter 8, verse 58, Jesus said to them, "Verily, verily, I said unto you before Abraham was, I AM." When Jesus told them "before Abraham was I AM," he was telling the Pharisees, "I am the true and living God." He was making a declaration of truth.
The Apostle John also declared this truth regarding the nature of God in John 1, verse 1: > "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Notice that the Gospel of John opens with the same three words that the Book of Genesis opens with. Genesis 1, verse 1 says "In the beginning," and John 1, verse 1 also says "In the beginning." When Jesus told them that in the beginning he was there, he was declaring that he was in the beginning from creation. Jesus is the Word that was there from the beginning. Jesus is the Creator. That is why he said, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God." And that is why Jesus said, "I AM."
Jesus is who he said he is, and he will forever be, because I AM is forever. I AM is eternal. I AM is everlasting to everlasting. It will always be I AM.
In the Book of John, there are seven times when Jesus used the name "I AM," and each I AM statement gives us a glimpse of his character and what he is like:
Seven times he declared himself as I AM.
In Exodus, the second book of the Bible, Jesus introduced himself to Moses as "I AM that I AM." When Jesus called himself I AM, he revealed his name, and his name revealed his character.
After Moses killed an Egyptian slave master, he fled from Egypt and settled in the land of Midian for 40 years. In Exodus 3, verse 1, the Bible says, "Now when Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, he led the flock to the far side of the desert and he came to Mount Horeb."
Mount Horeb is the Mount of God. Mount Horeb is another name for Mount Sinai, the mountain where the Hebrew people entered into a covenant with God after escaping from Egyptian bondage. Mount Horeb is also the place where Moses received the Ten Commandments, the laws and instruction for the people of Israel before continuing on their journey to the promised land.
At Mount Horeb, God appeared to Moses in a burning bush. God called his name, and Moses answered, "Here I am." God said, "Don't come any closer. Take off your shoes, because the place that you are standing is Holy Ground."
In the Bible, fire often represents God's glory, God's holiness, God's presence, and God's cleansing. The ground was holy because the presence of God was there. Anywhere the presence of God is, that place is Holy. Mount Horeb was a Holy Mountain because of the presence of God.
We cannot take the presence of God lightly. We cannot take the presence of God for granted. We have to approach God with reverence and respect.
When God told Moses to take off his shoes, he was showing Moses something important. When you enter someone's home, they ask you to remove your shoes because you have been wearing them outside and they have gathered dust and dirt. Moses was about to enter the most holy place, but his shoes were dirty because of the desert.
Anything that is dirty is considered to be unclean, and anything that is unclean spiritually is unholy. Taking off the sandals is a sign of spiritual cleansing.
Anything that you do out of the will of God is sin, and sin will prevent you from being in God's presence. The presence of God is the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of God cannot dwell in a dirty vessel.
In order for you and me to carry the presence of God, or for God to dwell in us and around us, we have to be holy. That is why God said in 1 Peter: > "Be ye holy because I am Holy."
Holiness is to be God's standard of living. God desires for us to be holy so his presence can dwell among us.
Young converts, the journey that you are on right now—don't allow anything to disconnect you from the presence of God. Don't allow anything to prevent God's presence in your life. Continue to live for God and live the way he wants you to live. Live a life that is pleasing and acceptable unto God. Make sure your life honors God so his presence can dwell among you.
Moses was a murderer, so his hands were dirty. But God wanted Moses to go back to Egypt to rescue his people out of slavery and to lead them to a land flowing with milk and honey. Although Moses's past was dirty, what did Moses do? Moses surrendered in the presence of God. Moses repented before God. And God cleaned him up and made him holy, and then used him for his glory.
The removal of sandals is a sign of surrendering, repenting, and spiritual cleansing. You might have a past, but God can still use you. But first, you have to surrender and repent so he can clean you up and make you holy, and then use you for his glory. For God to enter into a conversation with you, he has to clean you up first.
When Moses took off his sandals, God said to him, "I am the God of your father. I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I have seen the Affliction of my people, and I have heard their cry." God wanted Moses to go back to Egypt to deliver them out of slavery.
Moses was commissioned by God with a word for his people. In Exodus 3, verses 13 to 15, the Bible says, "Moses said unto God, 'Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel and I shall say unto them, The God of your father have sent me unto you, and they shall say unto me, What is his name?'"
In verse 14, God said: > "Tell them I AM that I AM. That is his name. Tell them I AM sent me unto you."
The name I AM is connected to other names in the Bible. In Isaiah 42, verse 8, the Lord said: > "I am the Lord. That is my name."
When God told Moses to tell the Israelites "I AM sent me unto you," he wanted them to realize: "I AM your Lord. I AM your deliverer. There is no other. There is none beside me. There is none like me. There is none that can compare to me. There is none that can stand in my presence. There is none that can do what I can do. I AM God over all gods. I AM great. I AM mighty, and nothing is too hard for me to do."
I AM is the only one who can rescue them out of the hands of Pharaoh. I AM is the only one.
MyBrothers and sisters, whatever bondage you are in right now—spiritual bondage—I AM can deliver you. Whatever chain you are in right now, I AM can loose you and set you free.
My unsaved friend, I AM is here. I AM is here to set you free from sin. I AM is here, and he is calling you today. The pool is ready. The water is troubled. He is calling you today. If you accept the call, your life could be transformed forever.
I AM is calling you. He wants to give you a new life, a spiritual life, which means you are born again in Christ. Do you want a new life in Christ? The pool is ready. Answer the call. Jesus is knocking on the door of your heart today. Open your heart and let I AM in.
Don't wait until tomorrow. Tomorrow might never come. Tomorrow might be too late. Let him in today. I AM is here to set you free from your sin. Don't go back with your sin. Repent. Confess. I AM is here to set you free.
The pool is ready. The water is troubling. I AM is troubling the water this morning. Don't go back the way you came. I AM wants to loose you and set you free from sin and give you a new birth, a new birth in Christ, which means you are born again.
One of the best things I ever did in my life was when I accepted I AM as the Lord and savior of my life, and I have no regret today, and I won't turn back. What are you waiting on? What are you waiting on?
Young converts, you have made the right choice this morning. You have made the right choice. Let me say this to you: the journey is not going to be easy, but I AM is not going to let you down. I AM is not going to fail you. I AM is not going to turn his back on you. But I AM is going to be with you to the end. I AM is going to fight for you. I AM is going to win for you. I AM is going to give you the victory.
Don't worry about the journey. I AM is with you.
Knowing the name I AM will help you to trust him with all of your heart. "Lean not on your own understanding." Knowing the name I AM will help you to walk by faith and not by sight. Knowing the name I AM will help you in hopeless situations. Knowing the name I AM will direct your path. Knowing the name I AM will help you to face life challenges.
It is important to know his name.
Whatever you are going through this morning, whatever you are facing, whatever the challenges are, whatever stands before you—you may find yourself in a Red Sea moment where there seems to be no way. You may feel like you cannot go forward because the Red Sea is in front of you, and you may feel you cannot go back the way you came from because fear and his army block you.
But when there seems to be no way out of your situation, there is only one answer: Look to I AM. Look to Him and call on his name. I AM will deliver you out of your problems. I AM will deliver you out of your troubles. I AM will protect you from harm and danger.
Whatever you want I AM to be for you this morning, he will be for you. He will be your deliverer. He will be your protector. He will be your way maker. He will be your Miracle Worker. He will be your problem solver. He will be your light in the darkness. He will be your bridge over troubled waters. He will be your rock in a weary land, and he will be the lifter of your head.
Whatever you want I AM to be, he will be for you.
Early on, I talked about the Alpha and the Omega. Alpha is the first word of the Greek alphabet and is defined as something that is first. It is also described as something powerful. Omega is the 24th and the last word of the Greek alphabet and means the final part.
God was with us at the beginning, and he will be with us to the end. When you pray to Alpha and the Omega, you are praying to the one who is, who was, and who is to come.
Young converts, the journey that you have started—obstacles will come, roadblocks will come, but nothing will stop you from going forward. Our all-sufficient Lord, I AM, will never fail to complete the work that he has done in you. Philippians 1, verse 6 says: > "He that began a good work in you is faithful to complete it."
Don't worry. He is faithful to complete the work that he has done with you.
My brothers and sisters, at the shout of my voice, whatever you are going through, don't look to the east or west for help. Look to I AM. God bless you.
