I AM

gods-love

I often feel a rush of emotion when I read the words I AM.  That the great I AM is aware of me, cares about what happens to me, and loves me more than life itself is almost incomprehensible.  Yet it is a reality!

The Word gives us another look at the I AM concept in that there are “I ams” that apply to the Believer.  Take a look at these and the scriptures that go with them.  Hide His Word in your heart and make it part of who you are!

I am a child of God   The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.  Romans 8:16

I am forgiven   For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,  in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.   Colossians 1:13-14

I am saved by grace through faith  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  Ephesians 2:8

I am justified    Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ    Romans 5:1

I am a new creature  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here    2 Corinthians 5:17

I am led by the Spirit of God   For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.  Romans 8:14

I am kept in safety wherever I go  For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways   Psalm 91:11

I am casting all my cares on Jesus   Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.  1 Peter 5:7

I am doing all things through Christ who strengthens Me.   Philippians 4:13

I am bringing every thought into captivity   We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.  2 Corinthians 10:5

I am being transformed by a renewed mind  Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2

I am the righteousness of God  God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.  2 Corinthians 5:21

I am an imitator of Jesus  Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children  Ephesians 5:1

I am filled with laughter and rejoicing  He will yet fill your mouth with laughter
and your lips with shouts of joy.  Job 8:21

If you will mark these verses in your Bible, study, read and pray over them for the next 30 days I know the Spirit will do His work and they will become a known and usable part of who you are.

Father, You are my Protector, Perfecter, Creator, Redeemer, and One and Only God.  You have adopted me and forgiven me.  You lead me, love me and fill me with joy and delight.  I am because YOU ARE.  I lift these words of praise before the Throne in Jesus Precious Name.

“It is Finished!”

Beautiful pictograph of Christ in the Garden!

Bill Sweeney's avatarUnshakable Hope


garden praying

Sweating drops of blood, in anguish I prayed,

asleep

While friends sleep in the cool of the night’s shade,

 betrayed

A crowd, a commotion; with a kiss I am betrayed,

crown

Scorn and ridicule; with a crown of thorns and a royal robe I am arrayed,

 stripes

With the shards of a crude whip my body is beaten and flayed,

crucify

“CRUCIFY HIM” came the verdict of the angry brigade,

jesus on cross

Hands and feet nailed to a cross, as a trophy I was displayed,

jesus tomb

“It is finished!” In a dark tomb my body was laid,

 risen jesus

Hell and death defeated; for you the price of sin I paid!

“God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

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In The Garden

How many times is a garden pictured in the Word?   Whether it is in the Garden of Eden or the Garden of Gethsemane it seems gardens are a popular place to meet our Lord.

images

Meeting Him in the Garden of Eden, Genesis 2:6-7   Before God even planted the garden He put man in it.  What might be the reason for this?  I think God wanted Adam from the very start of his life to know that God is THE CREATOR.  That everything needed for life is from Him.  Look at what God did on the sixth day of creation.  He created Adam and Eve, the flora and fauna, the animals of the land, sky and sea…everything that exists He created.  Later on in Genesis we are told it was common for God to walk in the garden and commune with Adam and Eve.  Every day they could meet Him in the Garden and create a relationship with Him.  Oh, my, what they gave up for an apple.

Andrea Mantegna's Agony in the Garden, circa 1...

Andrea Mantegna’s Agony in the Garden, circa 1460, depicts Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Travel with me through several centuries to another Garden.  This time at Gethsemane (on the Mount of Olives).  The story is in Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-42 and Like 22:40-46.  Jesus had asked James, John and Peter to go with Him while He prayed.  What was His expectation?  I think He wanted them to support Him physically and spiritually.  Physically because He knew what was about to happen and He wanted those He loved around Him.  Spiritually because He was about to spend serious time in prayer and He wanted the support of their prayers also.  But, guess what?  Once again God (Jesus) is disappointed.  Each time He returned to them they were asleep.  He says pretty much what He said in the Garden of Eden…What are you doing/What have you done?  Oh, my, what they gave up for a nap?

hanginggardensofBabylon

These are the two most well-known gardens in the Word, but there are others.  One the Ancient Wonders of the World was the Hanging Garden of Babylon built by Nebuchadnezzar.  The entire book of the Song of Songs takes place in a garden.   I think I can safely say, God really likes gardens.

Worship Him with song:  In The Garden/There is None Like You

Abba, there is None Like You.  Let me join You in the beauty of my garden.  The day lilies, ferns, and hanging planters are just a bit of the beauty You created.  Praise You and thank You for the colors, the smells, the blooms…Grow me as You grow them, set apart, sanctified for Your purpose only.  Make it so!

Although I don’t usually reblog this is so appropriate to Ray and my experience with his injury that I wanted to take the opportunity to say – “God never left and He still does miracles.”

Brad Strait's avatarceltic straits

(Updates follow article)

Four years ago today, I posted a blog about my emergency room “miracle experience” after the Aurora Theater shooting. The post went viral, and created some controversy. Does God really do miracles? Why for one person and not another? Does a good God even exist?

I don’t claim to have all the answers. But I saw the miracle with my own eyes. Thank you to those who have asked me to repost this story for a reminder: God is still at work.


July 23, 2012

At Columbine High School, I have seen this before. But not up close.  As a church pastor in Denver, I have worked as a chaplain alongside several police and fire departments. I was privileged to counsel parents just hours after the Columbine shootings. However, in this new tragedy at the Aurora Theater Dark Night shooting, one of the victims was a 22-year-old…

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