I AM

Read John 8:48-58

The religious elite of Jesus' day were furious that huge crowds were following Jesus. He was a threat to them; He upset their carefully constructed power structure. In John 8:53, they try to catch Jesus in a lie: "Are You greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do You think You are?" That simple question cuts to the heart of our faith because it's not about rules; it's about Jesus.

Who do YOU think Jesus is? That is a question that we ALL must answer. Jesus tells them that "before Abraham was born, I am!" (v. 58). Yes, Jesus and the Father are one. Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega. He came that we might have life, and have it abundantly. All we have to do is acknowledge His Lordship, and confess our sins, and He will grant us eternal life.

Jesus is the light of the world. Don't hide from Him. He loves you and He is waiting for you—right now. Open your Bible and lean on His truth, His hope, His guidance. He is a good and perfect Savior.

QUESTIONS:

1. Jesus is the great I Am. How will that make a difference in your life this week?

2. Whom do you care about? Who needs to hear about Jesus this week? How can you come alongside this friend and share the good news?

PRAYER:

Lord, You are the great I AM. You died for me. I can't do anything to earn my salvation. Thank You for Your grace. Amen.

Elaine Pierce

Genesis 3:1-11

We all know the story of Adam and Eve with the serpent. It’s difficult to imagine how Eve could possibly have found credibility in a slithering snake.  The Lord had offered them the most beautiful gift they could ever receive, but they didn't know what they didn't know.

God is our ultimate source of life and fulfillment. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s command, they demonstrated a lack of trust that brought separation from God and therefore, death.

Verse 4-5: “You will surely not die,” the serpent said to the woman.” 

         For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Though the couple did not physically die, they lost the blessing of paradise, recognized their nakedness in shame, and ultimately hid from the Source of Life, who sustained them. This is the spiritual death that sin brings.

Verses 9-10: Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord

God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid

          from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”

Though Adam and Eve disobeyed and mistrusted the Lord, He wasn't content to let them be lost to Him forever. He sought them out, calling Adam’s name. “Where are you?” God knew, of course. But Adam and his wife were being held accountable. How had it come to this? Where did they stand with the Lord? What would happen next?

We too, must ask the question. Where do we stand in the eyes of The Great I AM?

In the book of John, Jesus reminds us:

John 6:35  I AM the bread of life…    
John 8:12  I AM the light of the world… 
John 10:7  I AM the gate for the sheep…   
John 10:11 I AM the good shepherd…  
John 11:25 I AM the resurrection and the life…      
John 14:6   I AM the way and the truth and the life...
John 15:5   I AM the vine; you are the branches...                                                                                                                                                                        

Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, God has made a way for our relationship with Him to be reconciled and restored. Are you going to work on that? I AM!

Read/Listen to Genesis 3:1-11