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I AM that I AM

When Jesus told them, “I AM,” they backed away and fell to the ground John 18:6 Jesus said, “I AM, and ‘you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power.. and ‘coming with the clouds of heaven. Mark 14:62

An Unveiling
The Scriptures are themselves an unveiling of God’s character and God’s purpose. As we move from Genesis to Revelation God opens more things to our understanding. God chose when to reveal, or to concealed, biblical truths, as His word unfolded. The apostle Paul was the man through whom God revealed many hidden truths.

The Mysteries
There’s the mystery of the kingdom; the mystery of the church; the mystery of Israel. There’s the mystery of Christ and the mystery of God’s will – His plans and purposes. There is the mystery of godliness; the mystery of lawlessness; the mystery of faith.. and John unfolds the mystery of the seven stars and the seven candlesticks.

Chosen Vessel
Many are revealed to our understanding by the apostle and prophet Paul. Paul was God’s chosen vessel to convey many concealed truths to the church. At God’s appointed time – through His appointed messenger these were unveiled. They are not mysterious, esoteric secrets – for a few enlightened people. They are Scriptural truths that remained undisclosed until God’s appointed time.

Mystery of Mysteries
The Scriptures not only unveil God’s plans but also His character and attributes, and yet the Mystery of mysteries, that baffles the minds of men, is God Himself. God is the self-existent One, Who alone can claim I AM that I AM. God has no origin, distinguishing Him from anything created or brought into being. How can this be… for all created things have a genesis and a genealogy?

Uniqueness of God
There is a time before time began. There is a place before space existed. There is Life before all things created were spoken into being, There is God – Who alone can claim I AM that I AM. All things that exist have a cause that antedates it… except God. Everything has a precursor from which it came.. except Deity. Everything has its cause – except God, Who is the causeless One. And this causeless Being is the uncreated God – and He Is Who He Is.

Exclusive Category
From the infant that asks, “where did God come from” to the scientists’ probing..  of necessity, both admit their own origin has its root in another. But child and philosopher alike must receive an answer that contradicts logic… that the uncreated God had no beginning, for God alone is the Self-Existent One. God is in an exclusive category that lies beyond research, reason, and understanding.

Indiscoverable Phenomenon
He is not a scientific formula to be discovered or a physical law that can be tapped. Child, and scientist alike, must accept or reject God as an indiscoverable phenomenon. The infant and likewise the philosopher has no recourse but to believe – or to reject.

Limited Understanding
This is the most difficult of all tasks, for the insatiably curious, fallen, human mind. It is an impossible burden on the one that declares ‘give me proof before I’ll believe’. It is always hard for prideful man to admit there are things we don’t understand, but it needs humility of heart, founded on faith to admit that we’ll never fully understand.

Timeless, spaceless, single, lonely;
Yet sublimely Three,
Lone in grandeur,
Only; always God in Unity.

His Handiwork
Many millions continue to pass through this mortal realm with no thought of God. Few have set their hearts to steadfastly gaze unstintingly upon the Being that is God. Rather He is ignored, blasphemed, scorned, derided, mocked, defied – ridiculed. But nonetheless, we are all His handiwork. We are the work of His hand, and He alone is the solution to all our problems and all our needs.

Created Man
For some inexplicable reason, known only to God Himself – God honoured man. This self-existent God created man in His own image and likeness for fellowship. This is not a nice little fairy story, born of poetic imagery or religious desire. This is stark reality… the authenticity of which is written on the pages of Scripture.

Christian Doctrine
And Christian doctrine is based on the tenant… that God is ALL and man is nothing. And this plainly grates on the prideful nature of man, who considers that he is all! Holy epistles and gospels were all written expounding this awful yet simple truth.. that man can only function in harmony with God if God works in and through him.

Twisted Doctrine
 But Christian doctrine has been twisted in many arenas to elevate man’s supremacy. Man may accept God’s gift of salvation and may even sacrifice much for God. But man prefers to remain the crowned king on the throne of his own life. And man is rarely if ever willing to remove himself from this seat of power.

Prideful Witness
This was Christ’s condemnation of the prideful Scribes and Pharisees of His day. This was the root of the struggle in man that goes right back to the days of Cain. This is no less true of much of Christendom today, who keeps Christ outside the door. This prideful witness is evident throughout the pages of Scripture. This rebellious attitude has permeated every generation from Adam ’til now.

Condemnatory Prophecy
Jesus also voiced His own sad, condemnatory prophecy on a future generation…. “nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?” Faith in the Son of Man means… faith in self must be crucified on the cross of Christ. The old Adamic self-life must die-to-self and remain in the place of death – this is an uncomfortable position indeed!

Crucified with Christ
Until such a time, our heart must remain rebellious towards the self-existent One, Who loves us so much that He gave Himself for us. Let us examine every nook and cranny of our life so that we can say with Paul:- I have been crucified with Christ. Nevertheless I live – yet not I live, but Christ.  Christ lives in me”  Galatians 2:20

 

Bible References

When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

62 “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

 Psalm 23

Psalm 27

Psalm 31

 

23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Psalm 27

27 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.

For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.

Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.

Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.

10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.

11 Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.

12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.

13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

Psalm 31

31 In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.

Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.

For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.

Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength.

Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.

I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the Lord.

I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;

And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room.

Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.

10 For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.

11 I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me.

12 I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.

13 For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.

14 But I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God.

15 My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.

16 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies’ sake.

17 Let me not be ashamed, O Lord; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.

18 Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.

19 Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!

20 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.

21 Blessed be the Lord: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city.

22 For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.

23 O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.

24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.

65 Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed.

O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.

Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.

Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.

By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea:

Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power:

Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.

They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice.

Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it.

10 Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof.

11 Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.

12 They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side.

13 The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.

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