The Great I AM

1st John 4:7-12, “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.”

The Scriptural truth “God is love” means that God eternally gives Himself to others. God's love saves us from our sins and guarantees eternal life to those who trust in His only begotten Son, Jesus. John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Dear friend, if we want proof of God's love for us, then we must look first at the cross where God offered up His only begotten Son as a sacrifice for our sins. Calvary is the one objective, absolute, irrefutable “proof” of God's love for us. We love others by sharing the Gospel. We love others by eliminating the slander and gossip in our life. We love others by learning the stories of others. Everyone has a story, but we must take the time to hear it, otherwise it cannot be a story. To be a story, someone's life needs to be told. We love others by giving without strings attached. We love others by praying for those who are hard to love.

Our blessed Savior set the example, giving us a pattern to follow. Christ lived a selfish life, unconditionally loving others. As God's children we must share Christ's love, beginning in our home and then it will expand outward to all areas of our life. There is only one thing that chooses to give up its own rights, its own plans, its own comforts, and even one's own life, and that is to allow Christ to love others through us!!! Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

God's love transforms the way we treat others! You can tell how close a believer is to God by how they treat other people, especially those who can do nothing for them. Love is the hallmark of every born-again child of God, because God is love. Love and caring are synonymous! When I see professed Christians and pastors who don't care—don't care about right doctrine, don't care about hurting people, don't care about the truth—then I know that something is wrong with their walk with Christ. God cares (1st Peter 5:7).

My web visitors know that I CARE. I care because God cares. That doesn't mean that I am a shining example of a good Christian, I am not. I mess up sometimes just like anybody else does. We are all sinners (Romans 3:23). The biggest sinners among us are those critics who slander, tear down and berate others who sin differently than they do (Matthew 7:1-5). No one has a justifiable right to condemn someone else (Romans 14:10-12). Thankfully our acceptance comes from God alone, so that it doesn't matter if the whole world condemns us, there is no condemnation for the redeemed child of God. Romans 8:34, “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”

Jesus is the great I AM. I have heard false teachers falsely claim that Jesus never claimed to be God in the Bible. What a lie! Our dear Savior did most certainly claim to be God. One such profound claim is found in John 8:58, “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” Jesus told the Jews that before Abraham was even conceived He existed as God, the great I AM. To understand why the Jews became enraged and tried to kill Him (John 8:59) when He made this claim, you need to read Exodus 3:14, “And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.” Jesus was professing that He is the same “I AM” Who spoke to Moses. JESUS IS ALMIGHTY GOD!!!

Jesus walked this earth as the great I AM in the flesh, the Godhead incarnate (Colossians 2:9; 1st Timothy 3:16 - NOTE: all Scripture references are only to the inspired King James Bible). Psalms 103:8, “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.” I am continually humbled and astonished that the great I AM wanted to walk so closely with me, that He chose to live inside me as His child. If you are saved friend, God lives inside of your body and soul.

Literally, YOU are the temple of the Holy Spirit, not the church building down the street (1st Corinthians 3:16-16). Without a called out assembly of believers, the church house is nothing more than four walls and a roof! What a blessed privilege we have today as Christians, knowing that our great God and Savior lives in our very being. Have you told God that you love Him today? I did, multiple times. Have you spent time fellowshipping with your Savior today? I did, all afternoon as I have been working on my website ministry, and I have had a wonderful day! Jesus makes life worth living!!!

Love is the greatest thing in my life. I love everyone because God loves me, and that unconditional love is shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit. Romans 5:5, “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” What a blessed Holy Spirit, the great I AM living inside of me as God's adopted child. Jesus is precious!!!