Here I Am

A Series on the “I Am” statements of Jesus
 (Click on the link below to read the verses.)
Exodus 3:1-15

[Moses encountered God at the burning bush where the Lord gave His name as “I Am”. Jesus used that same name for himself, thus claiming to BE God. In this series, we’re going to look at the “I Am” statements of Jesus to learn about him and about God.]

 

Twenty years ago, I used to run a basketball league for inner city youth. 

During a game, when the ball went out of bounds, my head referee would always say, “Here I am”. It was his way of saying, “Give me the ball”. It was reassuring for me to hear those words because I knew that Chip would faithfully keep control of the game.

 

Prior to this passage in Exodus, the Hebrew people had been enslaved to the Egyptians and had cried out to God for His help. He heard their cries and appeared before Moses in the burning bush. It was here that God laid out His plan to rescue the Israelites.

 

At first God’s plan sounded really good to Moses. But then, God made a sudden, unexpected turn when He told Moses that Moses was to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, not God. Immediately, Moses began to make excuses, but the Lord reassured him with this promise.

 

¹² And God said, “I will be with you.       NIV

 

However, it didn’t satisfy Moses’ fear of returning to Egypt where he had fled as a criminal. So, he asked the Lord, what if the Israelites ask for your name.

 

¹⁴ God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”    NIV

 

My NIV study bible said the following about these two verses.

 

“In verse 12, the Hebrew word translated “I will be with you” is the same as the one translated “I am” in verse 14.”

 

In verse 14, “I am who I am” is the name by which God wished to be known and worshiped in Israel - the name that expressed his character as the dependable and faithful God who desires the full trust of his people.”

 

God is always faithful! You can’t say that about anybody else… even Chip. The Lord promised Moses that He would be with him. The Lord makes this same promise to you and to me.

 

Therefore, listen for His words as He calls out to you saying, “Here I am”. Then put the ball in His hands… and trust the Lord.

 

Copyright 2022 Joseph B Williams

 

Baptism by Fire

A Series on God’s Call to Ministry

Jeremiah 1:4-10

 (Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah%201%3A4-10&version=NIV;NLT

[Preface: How do you know what your calling in life is? Will you know from a big bang experience? Or will it come quietly, almost imperceptible? Will you be inspired by the stories of a visiting missionary; or a book that opens your eyes to the needs of a specific people group; or from your own life experience? This series is about God’s call to ministry for your life; what it means or doesn’t mean.]

Marriage can be difficult! 

Especially when you’re first married, the battle grounds can take place over such life altering issues as… should the towels be folded in thirds or half; should the toothpaste be squeezed from the middle or the end; should the toilet paper go over or under.

Even though I thought I was ready at the time, getting married was a “baptism by fire” for me. This saying, can apply not only to getting married, but to getting a new job, taking on a responsibility at church or really, anything that involves a significant challenge where you feel unprepared.

Jeremiah faced a baptism by fire as the Lord called him to be a prophet.

⁹ Then the Lord reached out and touched my mouth and said,

“Look, I have put my words in your mouth!
¹⁰ Today I appoint you to stand up against nations and kingdoms.
Some you must uproot and tear down, destroy and overthrow.
Others you must build up and plant.”    NLT

Wow! That sounds like a tremendous challenge, if not overwhelming. Predictably, Jeremiah came up with excuses for why he wasn’t qualified. Like Moses, he claimed to not be able to communicate well. He also said that he was too young. The Lord responded in the same way that he did to Moses.

⁸ And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!”          NLT

The Lord also told Jeremiah that he had prepared him for this very job.

⁵ “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
    before you were born I set you apart;
    I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”           NIV

So when you’re feeling like you’ve been thrown into a battle and you’re learning through a baptism by fire; remember this:

The Lord is Sovereign. He has a plan for you and it didn’t just come to him on the spur of the moment. He had it planned out long ago; since before you were born. Your job is to be listening for him to speak. And when he does, don’t come up with excuses, but believe in his promises… “I will be with you; I have prepared you for this time”.

A Bill of Goods

A Series on God’s Call to Ministry

Genesis 12:1-9

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://classic.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2012%3A1-9&version=NIV;NLT

[Preface: How do you know what your calling in life is? Will you know from a big bang experience? Or will it come quietly, almost imperceptible? Will you be inspired by the stories of a visiting missionary; or a book that opens your eyes to the needs of a specific people group; or from your own life experience? This series is about God’s call to ministry for your life; what it means or doesn’t mean.]

Have you ever felt like somebody sold you a bill of goods? I have. And when it happens, I’m always reminded of something my Dad used to say, “If something sounds too good to be true; it probably is”.

The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

² “I will make you into a great nation,
    and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
    and you will be a blessing.
³ I will bless those who bless you,
    and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
    will be blessed through you.”                NIV

These verses in Genesis are titled, “The call of Abram”. However, it seems like the Lord could have sold Abram a “bill of goods”. Now, before you accuse me of being a heretic, think about it for a minute.

Imagine Abram making a list of pros and cons while trying to decide if this is truly God’s will for his life to uproot his family and go to Canaan.

On the con side are all the risk factors: He would have to leave his Father and all his relatives; his home; and all that was familiar to him. He was already a fairly wealthy man and risked losing all of that. Plus he had never visited Canaan and had no idea what the people were like. It was a huge unknown risk.

On the pro side are all the benefits: The Lord’s promises seemed to indicate that he would gain even more wealth, fame, land and descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky; enough to become a nation.

On the unknown future side are all the events that waited for Abram: There would be many hardships and tests that Abram would face. These included famine, conflict, decades of infertility and a test of Abram’s faith to sacrifice his only son.

The truth is, none of us knows what the future holds. So, if you believe that the Lord is calling you to do something, don’t be afraid of the risks. Don’t doubt and think that He is trying to sell you a bill of goods. But remember that the Lord is faithful. He loves you and is always with you.

That may sound too good to be true, but it’s not.

Radically Different

Hebrews 10:19-25

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2010%3A19-25&version=NIV;PHILLIPS

 

When I was in grade school and my teacher said to take out a piece of paper and draw

anything you want – I invariably would draw a mountain scene like the one to the left. For me, the mountains represented something bigger than myself that provided strength, security and safety. It was a safe place for me to live vicariously through my drawing. I found peace, purpose and a place in the world.

 

What I never considered though, were the lives of the people who lived in the valleys, the hollows and the peaks of those mountains. Because they were people, no doubt they all had some struggle or issue. Maybe it was poverty, an addiction, a broken relationship or work. Like me, they needed a safe place. We all do.

 

I like how J.B. Phillips wrote this passage in Hebrews 10.

 

So by virtue of the blood of Jesus, you and I may now have courage to enter the holy of holies by way of the one who died and is yet alive, who has made for us a holy means of entry by himself passing through the curtain, that is, his own human nature. Further, since we have a great High Priest set over the household of God, let us draw near…

 

The writer of Hebrews is speaking of the Holy of Holies which is the inner chamber of the Temple where only the High Priest could go on the Day of Atonement. It was where the actual presence of God resided! It was a safe place; not to hide from the world, but to become engaged with the world.

 

…In this confidence let us hold on to the hope that we profess without the slightest hesitation—for he is utterly dependable—and let us think of one another and how we can encourage each other to love and do good deeds. And let us not hold aloof from our church meetings, as some do. Let us do all we can to help one another’s faith…               J.B. Phillips

 

Jesus is our mountain scene; our safe place. From there, we are called to draw nearer to Him, to encourage each other to acts of love and to do all we can to help one another’s faith.

 

What do you need to do to spend time in your safe place; in the very presence of God? Whatever it is, make it a priority today. If you do, your life will be radically different from those who don’t.