During Moses' ministry, the sick were healed, the lepers cleansed, the plague stayed.
Oh, Moses how we envy you, the great commission, GO! call my people out of bondage into liberty; out of darkness into light; out of sin into holiness; out of sickness into health! But tell us, just when did the day of supernatural, miraculous manifestation of the power of God end? When did "I AM" become "I WAS?"
Why, little children, "I AM" hath never changed! His power is just the same in this thy day as it was in the days of yore. Did He not say, "This is My Name forever even unto ALL generations"? They who have faith shall see the lightnings of His glory flash in power of answered prayer today, as in the days of old. Elijah and Elisha lived in a day when doubters said the miraculous had passed away and "I AM" had become "I WAS." But through faith and prayer they proved His name to be "I AM" unto their generations. After the ascension of the Only Begotten of the Father, Jesus Christ, the disciples proved that "He who was dead is alive forevermore" the Great I AM, who saves and heals and baptizes with the Spirit's power.
On and on through the centuries, though surrounded by unbelief and skepticism; there have always been the Elijahs and the Peters who have proved that "I AM" is His Name even unto their generation. John Wesley believed that Christ was not only to save but to heal the sick in his day. In his biography he tells of the lame made to walk, cancers which melted away and even a lame horse made whole through answered prayer; thus proving "I AM" to be the Lord's Name even unto his generation.
Then surely He has not changed at this late hour! Surely, He is the same today. Elijah, Peter, John Wesley and an army of others who had heard and obeyed the message, "Thus shall you say I AM hath sent me" were ridiculed and persecuted by those they loved the best. Even so today, though it means being despised and misunderstood, get alone in the wilderness of quiet and stillness before God. Seek His face till your soul is kindled with the flame of love from the burning bush. Get your authority from God. Inquire of Him, "When they shall ask who sent me and what is his name? What shall I say unto them?" Hear His reply, "Thus shalt thou say unto them, 'I AM' hath sent me" and let it ring in your soul forever, louder, clearer, more wonderful in its revelation of the ever-living Christ with each new step and turn of the way. Victory is assured and the only solution to the problem of drawing the multitude is to lift up, not the dead, but the living Christ; not the Great "I WAS" but the Great "I AM".
Thanks! Thanks! for that message, dear Lord. The clouds of uncertainty are dispelled the shades of night rolled back. We see Thee in a new and glorious light, even as the Sun of Righteousness with healing in Thy wings. "I AM" is Thy Name today and shall be evermore!
"I AM the Lord, I change not."
"I AM the Lord that hath chosen thee and called thee by thy name."
"I AM come down to deliver thee and to bring thee up into a good land and a large ; unto a land flowing with milk and honey. ''
"I AM (not I WAS but I AM) the Lord that healeth thee."
"I AM He who was dead but am alive forevermore."
"I AM Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last."
How the "I AM"'s of the Lord come rolling in, like the billows of a full, o'erflowing sea, whose tide rises higher toward down-bending heavens.
Glory! Glory! My own poor heart is running over like a tiny cup that would seek to hold the ocean! God is speaking in my ears, "I AM THAT I AM." The earth resounds with His voice. The eternal hills and the mountains swell the song, "I AM shall be My Name forevermore.'' And away up yonder the glorious stars of the heaven echo back again "Even unto all generations this shall be my Name." Angels and cherubim bend low over heaven's balustrade and sing a new song of inspiration "Go forth, my child, and this thy cry shall be, 'I AM I AM hath sent me unto thee'."
Again. I see the steepled church. But now the scene is changed.
"Pat! Pat! Pit-a-pat" - The street that lies before it is still with people filled, but they are no longer passing "by"- the crowds are passing "in." They fill the pews and the galleries. They stand in the aisles and climb to the window sills. They pack the doorways and stand on the stairs. The streets and the lanes are filled. The Gospel nets are full to the bursting and there is no more room to contain the multitudes that throng the place.
And out o'er the heads of the people I hear the message ring :
"Awake! thou that sleepest, arise - from the dead! The Lord still lives today. His power has never abated. His Word has never changed. The things He did in Bible days, He still lives to do today. Not a burden is there He cannot bear nor a fetter He cannot break.
"Here bring your sins, He'll wash them away. Here bring your sicknesses He'll heal you today. We serve not a dead but a living God not 'I WAS,' but 'The Great I AM.'
"Come young, come old; come sad, come glad; come weary and faltering of step; come sick, come well! Come one, come all unto 'The Great I AM.' There is food for the hungry, there is strength for the faint ; there is hope for the hopeless, and sight for the blind."
"Pit-a-pat! Pit-a-pat!" Faster and faster they come! The church is o'erflowing; they are filling the streets. Their faces are shining; in their eyes the light of hope has been kindled by the taper of faith through the preaching of "The Great I AM."
They are reaching out their hands for forgiveness, for the healing of the crippled and sick. They are thirsting for the joy of salvation; hungering for the Bread of Life. They are seeking the power of the Holy Ghost and something practical which can meet the immediate and pressing need of the great today, and fit them for the morrow. And they have found the source of sure supply in the church the house of God from under whose altar and o'er whose threshold runs the ever deepening stream of life. They seek no further, through the briers of the world they have found "The Great I AM" and sing:
"Wisdom, righteousness and power,
Holiness forevermore
My redemption full and sure,
Christ is all I need."
Burdens are lifted, tearful weeping eyes are dried, the sick are healed, the crooked made straight. Singuilty hearts are cleansed and made holy. Empty water-pots are filled with wine. And the cold, worldly church has risen from the dust in garments glistering, white. With oil in their lamps and sheaves in their arms they worship "The Great I AM."
Oh, Moses how we envy you, the great commission, GO! call my people out of bondage into liberty; out of darkness into light; out of sin into holiness; out of sickness into health! But tell us, just when did the day of supernatural, miraculous manifestation of the power of God end? When did "I AM" become "I WAS?"
Why, little children, "I AM" hath never changed! His power is just the same in this thy day as it was in the days of yore. Did He not say, "This is My Name forever even unto ALL generations"? They who have faith shall see the lightnings of His glory flash in power of answered prayer today, as in the days of old. Elijah and Elisha lived in a day when doubters said the miraculous had passed away and "I AM" had become "I WAS." But through faith and prayer they proved His name to be "I AM" unto their generations. After the ascension of the Only Begotten of the Father, Jesus Christ, the disciples proved that "He who was dead is alive forevermore" the Great I AM, who saves and heals and baptizes with the Spirit's power.
On and on through the centuries, though surrounded by unbelief and skepticism; there have always been the Elijahs and the Peters who have proved that "I AM" is His Name even unto their generation. John Wesley believed that Christ was not only to save but to heal the sick in his day. In his biography he tells of the lame made to walk, cancers which melted away and even a lame horse made whole through answered prayer; thus proving "I AM" to be the Lord's Name even unto his generation.
Then surely He has not changed at this late hour! Surely, He is the same today. Elijah, Peter, John Wesley and an army of others who had heard and obeyed the message, "Thus shall you say I AM hath sent me" were ridiculed and persecuted by those they loved the best. Even so today, though it means being despised and misunderstood, get alone in the wilderness of quiet and stillness before God. Seek His face till your soul is kindled with the flame of love from the burning bush. Get your authority from God. Inquire of Him, "When they shall ask who sent me and what is his name? What shall I say unto them?" Hear His reply, "Thus shalt thou say unto them, 'I AM' hath sent me" and let it ring in your soul forever, louder, clearer, more wonderful in its revelation of the ever-living Christ with each new step and turn of the way. Victory is assured and the only solution to the problem of drawing the multitude is to lift up, not the dead, but the living Christ; not the Great "I WAS" but the Great "I AM".
Thanks! Thanks! for that message, dear Lord. The clouds of uncertainty are dispelled the shades of night rolled back. We see Thee in a new and glorious light, even as the Sun of Righteousness with healing in Thy wings. "I AM" is Thy Name today and shall be evermore!
"I AM the Lord, I change not."
"I AM the Lord that hath chosen thee and called thee by thy name."
"I AM come down to deliver thee and to bring thee up into a good land and a large ; unto a land flowing with milk and honey. ''
"I AM (not I WAS but I AM) the Lord that healeth thee."
"I AM He who was dead but am alive forevermore."
"I AM Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last."
How the "I AM"'s of the Lord come rolling in, like the billows of a full, o'erflowing sea, whose tide rises higher toward down-bending heavens.
Glory! Glory! My own poor heart is running over like a tiny cup that would seek to hold the ocean! God is speaking in my ears, "I AM THAT I AM." The earth resounds with His voice. The eternal hills and the mountains swell the song, "I AM shall be My Name forevermore.'' And away up yonder the glorious stars of the heaven echo back again "Even unto all generations this shall be my Name." Angels and cherubim bend low over heaven's balustrade and sing a new song of inspiration "Go forth, my child, and this thy cry shall be, 'I AM I AM hath sent me unto thee'."
Again. I see the steepled church. But now the scene is changed.
"Pat! Pat! Pit-a-pat" - The street that lies before it is still with people filled, but they are no longer passing "by"- the crowds are passing "in." They fill the pews and the galleries. They stand in the aisles and climb to the window sills. They pack the doorways and stand on the stairs. The streets and the lanes are filled. The Gospel nets are full to the bursting and there is no more room to contain the multitudes that throng the place.
And out o'er the heads of the people I hear the message ring :
"Awake! thou that sleepest, arise - from the dead! The Lord still lives today. His power has never abated. His Word has never changed. The things He did in Bible days, He still lives to do today. Not a burden is there He cannot bear nor a fetter He cannot break.
"Here bring your sins, He'll wash them away. Here bring your sicknesses He'll heal you today. We serve not a dead but a living God not 'I WAS,' but 'The Great I AM.'
"Come young, come old; come sad, come glad; come weary and faltering of step; come sick, come well! Come one, come all unto 'The Great I AM.' There is food for the hungry, there is strength for the faint ; there is hope for the hopeless, and sight for the blind."
"Pit-a-pat! Pit-a-pat!" Faster and faster they come! The church is o'erflowing; they are filling the streets. Their faces are shining; in their eyes the light of hope has been kindled by the taper of faith through the preaching of "The Great I AM."
They are reaching out their hands for forgiveness, for the healing of the crippled and sick. They are thirsting for the joy of salvation; hungering for the Bread of Life. They are seeking the power of the Holy Ghost and something practical which can meet the immediate and pressing need of the great today, and fit them for the morrow. And they have found the source of sure supply in the church the house of God from under whose altar and o'er whose threshold runs the ever deepening stream of life. They seek no further, through the briers of the world they have found "The Great I AM" and sing:
"Wisdom, righteousness and power,
Holiness forevermore
My redemption full and sure,
Christ is all I need."
Burdens are lifted, tearful weeping eyes are dried, the sick are healed, the crooked made straight. Singuilty hearts are cleansed and made holy. Empty water-pots are filled with wine. And the cold, worldly church has risen from the dust in garments glistering, white. With oil in their lamps and sheaves in their arms they worship "The Great I AM."
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