Who Do You Say that I Am

 Who Do You Say that I Am?

                    Hello and welcome to My Little House of Prayer. I am so glad that you could join me today. I am your host Dayla Smith. Today, the Lord is asking each of us this question. “Who do you say that I am?” Funny a few weeks ago, I had some spare time to wind down at the end of my day. Bella and I picked a movie out to watch. (Bella is my gift from God. A golden Labrador.) Then, we cozied up on the couch and ate cotton candy while watching the movie. Yes, you heard me right. My dog loves cotton candy.  I am adding a little bit of humor to a serious discussion. “Who do you say that I am?” 

                The movie was God’s Not Dead 2. A teacher was on trial for answering a student's question. The student’s question was a point blank question that  she could not hide her faith. She is put on the stand. And because of her lawyer's line of questioning, he asked to make her a hostile witness. He forced her to testify of her faith on the stand. He asked her to tell what the question she was met with that led to her faith in Christ Jesus. And, through tears, she replied, “Who do you say that I am?”  Then, He asked her what her reply was. I’ve been thinking about a scripture where Jesus asked Peter this question. And, just like the teacher in the movie, Peter had the same epiphany. We all need this epiphany to happen to us in our walk with the Lord.

                   You know Moses had to decide who He was in his life. David’s relationship with the Lord depended on what David knew about His nature and who He was to Him. Isaiah prophesied who He was. Peter acknowledged who He was. Many great men and women of God are presented with this question. And, even today, He is asking us this question.  

                        Exodus 3:1-17  3 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. 2 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 4 And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. 5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. 6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. 7 And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; 8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto  the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? 12 And he 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. 13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? 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. 15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, the Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.16 Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt:17 And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.

                        Notice in verse 6, the Lord told Moses who He was. But then, in verses 13-15 Moses is still asking the Lord for His name. And, throughout Moses’ life, the Lord presented His Name to Him. I AM that I Am. I Am your all in all. I Am everything you need. I Am your life source. I AM your redeemer, deliverer, wonderful counselor. Moses had to walk this out throughout his entire life. The Lord was always faithful. 

                    The Lord presented Himself as everything Moses would need to lead His people. But, far greater, He was everything Moses needed for his own life as well. You see, Moses started out a murderer. He also had anger issues. Oh, come on now! Don’t try to act high and mighty like you’ve never let your anger get away from you! Maybe you never murdered anyone physically. But, what about with your tongue? Proverbs 18:21  21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. So, at the burning bush and throughout his walk, Moses realized his constant need for a savior. Why do you think he kept getting away from the crowd to go pray. This sounds like what my Savior kept doing when He walked the earth.   

                In the book of Psalms, David declares His relationship with the Lord. David had a real relationship with the Lord. And, from that was able to declare and prophesy of who His Name was to Him. He prophesied who he said the Lord was. He did this as he was asked the question in His walk with the Lord. “Who do You say that I Am?” But, you can read the book of psalms for yourself.  Let me say this, if you really need and want encouragement. The book of Psalms is it. 

                              When Isaiah was presented with this question, this was his response.Isaiah 6:1-5  6 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. Then, Isaiah’s response after this revelation was to prophecy who He was to him. Isaiah 9:6-7  6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. 

                             Which in turn, became a reality in Luke 2:1-20  27 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped  in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 

                    Then Look at Matthew 16:13-19  13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

                       So you see, in just these few instances, they all had to have an epiphany to this question. Which in turn, defined the rest of their walk with the Lord. You know, I just had a thought. Enoch and Elijah had such an epiphany, that it caused them to walk so close to the Lord that He eventually told them, “You know what? We are so much closer to my home than yours. Let’s just go on to my house.” They never tasted death. Think about that for a moment. That is my desire. To walk so closely with Him, that one day He will do the same for me. And, He just showed me a vision with words. It will happen for you and all my children who are truly walking closely with Me. It is called the rapture. They who are alive in Christ.1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Isn’t this wonderful?! 

                           You see, the question He is asking each and every one of us should create an epiphany in us. So much so, that it dramatically changes our lives. How does it change our lives? Because it changes our decision making. It is called surrender. Surrendering your will, your ideals, wants, and desires to His will. The music band Mercy Me has a song out called Say I Won’t. In the song, there is a verse that says, “While I was waiting to live, My Life was waiting on me.”  “I’m gonna know what it means to live and not just be alive.” How many of you have been just being alive and not truly living? Before I was presented with the question of who I said He was, I was this person. I was so miserable, angry, and bitter. I had no life in me. I lived a completely defeated lifestyle. I felt like life was always going on around me. I was just able to sit on the outside and look on. But, Jesus came my way. And, when He did, He asked me, “Dayla, who do you say that I AM?” I met my fork in the road. My reply was simply this, “You are the Christ. The Son of the one true and Living God.” At that moment, I surrendered everything to Him. There was nothing to turn back to. Nothing in my past could deter my walking with Him. 

                        So, if you are tuning in today, let me tell you that you are at the fork in the road. He is asking for not only a decision. Not only a commitment. But, for a total Surrender to Him. Where there is nothing in your past worth going back to. I haven’t regretted for one moment, my decision. He has made this walk all worthwhile. What I am talking about is, do you want a real relationship with the one true and living God? One where He becomes very real in your life? Well, His question to you is very simple. Who do you say that I am.? Are you ready to surrender completely to me? Are you broken? Broken over your sin? Well repent of your sin. Come and ask forgiveness. Then, you must forgive others who have offended you. He can’t forgive you unless you forgive. Then, make Jesus the Christ Lord over your life. I will pray with you right now. Lord Jesus, I confess my sins and ask for your forgiveness. Please come into my heart as my Lord and Savior. Take complete control of my life and help me to walk in Your footsteps daily by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank you Lord for saving me and for answering my prayer. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

                          Now, please get a bible translation that you will read. I prefer the King James translation. But, that is just me. Read it. In the new testament you learn who Jesus is to you. In the old, you learn what He expects of you. And, just how much of His grace is lavished on each and every one of us. Find a church that preaches the uncompromising truth of God’s word. Sit under that pastor for at least a year. In that year you will learn and grow. 

                Thank you so much for joining me at My Little House of Prayer. I hope you have a very blessed week.