I AM THAT I AM 

God commanded Moses to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt in order to deliver them from the slavery of Pharaoh and Egyptians. Moses said to God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?  God said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: when thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.  Even after God had assured His abiding presence and gave Moses His wonderful and irrevocable promise that he would make him serve God on that mountain, Moses did not take God at His word.  In stead, he looked for some excuse to withdraw from the great plan of God and mission for him on the pretext that the children of Israel would ask him to reveal the Name of the God Who commanded Moses to save them from Pharaoh (Gen.3: 9-14).  Not only here but also on the subsequent occasion, Moses looked for one excuse or the other to be spared by God.  He even took the plea of his being not eloquent and pleaded God to send another person.  Upon this, the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses (Gen.4: 10-14). 

When Moses was hesitant to go to the children of Israel and expressed his fear that they might ask for the revelation of the Name of the God Who gave him such commandment, God said to him, I AM THAT I AMThus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

Like Moses, we are also not taking God at His wonderful promises in the Word.  We always doubt His promises and  look at our own strength and resources for performing our ministries. We compare ourselves with those speakers who are great orators on the dais, attracting thousands of listeners to their gospel/revival meetings. God does not look for the eloquent people or orators.  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mightythat no flesh should glory in His presence (I Cor.1: 27-29). 

Are you frightened to go to the people for ministry, nurturing some inferior complexity?  Are you afraid of preaching to the people?  Are you worried over the paucity of finds for your ministry?  Do you have a feeling that God will neither perform miracles in your ministry nor manifest His power during your evangelistic crusade?  God reveals His Name to you, as I AM THAT I AM.  If any person discourages you with his negative words  concerning your ministry or questions the operation of the spiritual gifts in your ministry, you should tell him, I AM has put me into this ministry and sent me to the people.  I AM THAT I AM now indwells us through Christ Jesus.  Moses was frightened to approach the Mount Sinai for communion with I AM THAT I AM.  However, under the New Covenant, we have the wonderful privilege of boldly approaching His Throne of Grace and communing with I AM THAT I AM through the Blood of Christ Jesus. Christ Jesus in you, and not merely His power or His gifts, would help you to accomplish great things in your life and ministry. 

EL SHADDAI - The Almighty God 

When Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between Me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.  And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, giving him wonderful promises. The Lord also told Abram, Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham: for a father of many nations have I made thee.  

Here, the Lord revealed Himself to Abram as the Almighty God, which means, in Hebrew, El Shaddai.

Some people of God in our midst are in their old age.  They may be worried about their old age or their life of retirement.  In their old age, their strength may fail. They may not get due love and affection from their kith and kin.  But the God of Abraham reveals Himself to them, I am the Almighty God.  In Isaiah 46:4, God gives this wonderful promise to them:

Even to your old age I am He; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you; I have made, and I will bear: even I will carry, and will deliver you.

God will never forsake them.  He will carry them on His shoulders and will take them into the Heaven after their death. Like Abraham, they can also get wonderful promises from God for their children, grand children, etc.  God will honor His promises made to them concerning their posterity.  They are better than the Abraham of the Old Covenant is.  All the promises of God to them are Amen in Christ Jesus.

The Lord asked Abram to walk before Him, and to be perfect. The Old Testament saints had to obey Gods commandments with their own strength.  However, under the New Testament, we have the indwelling Holy Spirit to enable us to overcome the sin, and to obey His commandments.  We can walk before our God and can be perfect, not by our own strength but His grace through the Spirit.

Dearly beloved in Christ Jesus, are you facing a difficult situation in your life today?  The Almighty God is with you because you are in Christ Jesus.  Our God is greater than your problem and is mightier than your enemies or the devil. El Shaddai is His Name!  You should fall on your face and pray to Him like Abraham, to get His personal promises for you.  If you fall on your face before Him, it will show that you are completely dependent on Him, realizing your unworthiness. God will move mightily in your life and ministry. These days, we find it difficult to kneel down even on the cushions in our churches and pray.  Whenever I faced some problem in life, I used to fall prostrate in my secret chambers, and pray to God.  The Lord did move mightily in my life, and performed miracles for me. 

Today let us pray for the aged parents, grand parents, or the old people in our families.

Oh, our loving Heavenly Father, We thank and praise You for our dear parents/grand parents who are with us. As You had blessed Abraham in his old age, we pray that You may bless our aged parents/grand parents with good health and long life.  Forsake them not when their bodily strength fails. We pray that You may give them revelations and visions, according to Your promise that in the last days our old people would see dreams. In Jesus Name, we pray. Amen.