Revival Ministries Australia

May 2010 Newsletter

Jesus said, I AM 

By Nicholas Jackson

Who is the I AM ?

When God revealed Himself to Moses in the burning bush, He revealed His name to be, I AM . (Ex.3:14) God is the One Who Is! When Jesus was being questioned by the religious leaders of the day, Who do You make Yourself out to be?  (Jn.8:53), He responded that Abraham had rejoiced to see His day. The Jews could not grasp Jesus' words and so answered, You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?  (Jn.8:57). Jesus' response caused a violent reaction from the Jews and even today, many religious people do not accept it - Most assuredly I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.  (Jn.8:58)

Jesus is the Eternal One, the I AM !

God s name reveals who He is

By revealing Himself to be the I AM , He has made it possible to reveal to us all the attributes that He is in relation to us as humans. All the way through the Old Covenant age, God progressively revealed Himself to His people by adding attributes to His Eternal name. To Abraham He reveals Himself to be our Provider (Gen.22:14). To Moses and the children of Israel He revealed Himself to be our Healer (Ex.15:26), Banner (Ex.17:15) and Sanctification (Lev.20:8). To Gideon He is manifested as our Peace (Ju.6:24), to David He is our Shepherd (Ps.23:1), to Jeremiah He is our Righteousness (Jer.23:6), to Ezekiel He is There (Ez.48:35) and Joshua knew Him to be the Eternal One of His Armies (Josh.5:13-15).

His name manifests who God is to us. Jesus is the manifestation of all the Eternal One is to us. Jesus summed it up in His prayer to the Father, I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world.  (Jn.17:6)

Jesus manifested the name I AM 

Who is Jesus?

Many times in the New Testament Jesus uses the words, I AM , to describe His relationship to us. It is good to look at the statements Jesus made so that we can understand who He is and what His relationship is to us so that we can be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and understanding & and increasing in the knowledge of God.  (Col.1:9-10)

I AM the Bread of Life

Jesus said, I AM the bread of Life.  (Jn.6:35, 48) We all need to understand that Jesus is the bread of God who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.  (Jn.6:33) Jesus had just fed five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish, and He noticed that they had followed Him because you ate the loaves and were filled . (Jn.6:26) While distributing to the needs of the saints  (Rom.12:13) is an important part of our Christian walk, our goal is to feed people with heavenly bread which gives everlasting life.

The people then proceeded to tell Jesus of the awesome miraculous provision of the manna in Moses' time and how it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat . (Jn.6:31, Ps.78:24)) Jesus' response was, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven . (Jn.6:32) Jesus is what the manna was always pointing to, so that we could know that, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God . (Deut.8:3) Jesus is the Word that proceeded forth and came from God . (Jn.8:42) He is the Word that came from heaven and became flesh! (Jn.1:14) He said, I AM the bread of life...I AM the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever...  (Jn.6:48, 51)

Feed on Jesus and live forever!

I AM the Light of the world

Jesus said, I AM the Light of the world . (Jn.8:12, 9:5) When God created the heavens and the earth, it was dark, formless and empty. God's answer was  'Let there be light'; and there was light . (Gen.1:3) The creation then began to take shape and be filled. Due to sin and unrighteousness in the world, people's lives have been in darkness, with no shape and being empty. God's answer is; it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ . (2 Cor.4:6) By receiving the Light of the world into your heart, He will begin to recreate you to have form in your life and for your life to be filled with the goodness of God.

Darkness also speaks of lack of revelation. Jesus is the Light of the world and He came to bring the full revelation of God to us. Isaiah prophesied that, the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light . (9:2) We no longer need to remain in darkness having our understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in us and because of the blindness of our hearts . (Eph.4:18) For we once were darkness but now we are light in the Lord . (Eph.5:8) So arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of I AM is risen upon you . (Is.60:1)

Receive Jesus and no longer remain in darkness!

I AM the Door

Jesus said, I AM the Door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture . (Jn.10:9) We can only enter salvation through Jesus the Messiah. Jesus had told the Pharisees earlier that if someone does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber . (Jn.10:1) We must know how to come through the right entrance.

When God told Moses to build the tabernacle, there was a door to enter. And he put the altar of burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting...He set the laver between the tabernacle of meeting and the altar and put water there for washing. (Ex.40:29-30) The only way to enter the door and find salvation and pasture, is to come by believing in the sacrifice of Jesus the Messiah at the altar and by being baptized at the laver with water in His Name. (Acts2:38) Then you enter the Door and find life and life abundantly! (Jn.10:10) Once you have entered, you can go out and give life to the world!

Come through Jesus the Door and enter into life!

I AM the Good Shepherd

Jesus said, I AM the Good Shepherd . (Jn.10:11, 14) The Good Shepherd is characterized by giving His life for the sheep . He calls His sheep by name, they follow Him, are known by Him and He leads them out. (Jn.10:3-4, 14) It is written, Know that I AM [the LORD], He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture . (Ps.100:3) All the sheep that belong to the Good Shepherd know that He is God, that He has made us for Himself and that we belong to Him, knowing His voice.

Jesus says, And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one Shepherd . (Jn.10:16) This is speaking of the mystery of the Gentiles coming to faith in the Messiah and being joined in One body; One flock having One Shepherd! Ezekiel prophesied, For thus says the Lord I AM [the Lord GOD]: 'Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock &'  (34:11-12a) and David My servant shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd . (37:24) Indeed, Jesus is this One who came to seek and to save that which was lost  (Lu.19:10). He is the Good Shepherd to whom David's life pointed, So he [David] shepherded them [His people] according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands . (Ps.78:72)

Receive Jesus and be led by the Good Shepherd!

I AM the Resurrection

Jesus said, I AM the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me, though He may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this? (Jn.11:25-26) The Resurrection is not a doctrine as such but a person named Jesus! Martha knew the teaching about the resurrection at the last day. (Jn.11:24) The prophets had foretold, Your dead shall live; Together with My dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust &  (Is.26:19) Also Job had this hope, And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God . (19:26)

Martha knew of the Resurrection but when Jesus came to raise her brother from the dead He wanted her to realise that the One who is the Resurrection was standing in front of her. The fulfilment of the Scriptures was right there in the person of the Messiah Jesus! If you trust in Him, there is no fear in death, you shall never die ! If you know Jesus, you know the Resurrection!

Receive Jesus and know the Resurrection!

I AM the Way

Jesus said, I AM the Way &no one comes to the Father except through Me . (Jn.14:6) Jeremiah spoke of us needing to ask for the old paths, where the good Way is; And walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls.  (6:16) He goes on to lament that, Because My people have forgotten Me, they have burned incense to worthless idols. And they have caused themselves to stumble in their ways, from the Ancient paths . (18:15) The people of the early church were known as the people of the Way  (Acts9:2, 24:14) The Way is not a formula or method to walk in and it is not seen in a system of religion: the Way is seen in the Eternal One who became flesh. The Way is a person and Jesus is the only Way to know the Father, the I AM.

Jesus said, Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I AM gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Mt.11:29) Jesus, the Eternal One, is the Way in which we will find rest!

Receive Jesus and know the Way to the Father!

I AM the Truth

Jesus said, I AM the &Truth . (Jn.14:6) Moses had written, He is the Rock, His work is perfect, for all His ways are justice, a God of Truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He . (Deut.32:4) Jesus is the God of Truth; He is Truth in a person. We are to be speaking the Truth in love  to one another in order to grow up into the Christ, the One who is Truth. (Eph.4:15) Many people have statements of what they believe to be true but what matters is that you know the One who is Truth!

The apostle John says that we know we are of the Truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him , when we meet the needs of the saints, loving not only in word but also in deed and in Truth, seeing the example of Jesus laying down His life for us. (1Jn.3:16-19) When we know the Truth, the Truth makes us free  (Jn.8:32) Knowing Jesus gives you the freedom to worship God in spirit and in Truth!  (Jn.4:24)

Receive Jesus and receive the Truth which makes you free!

Get to know Jesus as I AM

There are many other I AM sayings that Jesus makes. He is: the Life (Jn.14:6), the True Vine (Jn.15:1), the Bright and Morning Star (Rev.22:16), the Alpha and the Omega (Rev.22:13), the Beginning and the End (Rev.22:13), the First and the Last (Rev.22:13), from Above (Jn.8:23), the Teacher (Jn.13:13), the Lord (Jn.13:13), the One who lives and was dead but is Alive forevermore (Rev.1:18), the Almighty (Rev.1:8), the Root and Offspring of David (Rev.22:16), Coming quickly (Rev.22:20), in the Midst (Mt.18:20) and a King (Jn.18:37).

There is much more revelation for us to have of Jesus. Remember the early apostles did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. (Acts5:42) You can never exhaust teaching who Jesus is. I continue to exhort you to preach Him, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus!  (Col.1:28)

OVERSEAS MINISTRY

Ecuador, South America: Brother Alberto Florez continues to teach and preach the apostolic doctrine in seminars for pastors and leaders now in Ecuador. Alberto believes the door has opened in Colombia for the apostolic teaching but he has called the opening in Ecuador a gate . He is very excited!

Africa April: Fri. 23^rdto June 9^th Paul and Janet have had fruitful ministry in Nigeria and Ghana, seeing the formation of apostolic companies who are committed to continue in the apostolic teaching. They are in Liberia this week before going on to Kenya and Uganda. This has already been a significant time for raising workers for the harvest.

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CALENDAR

June: Fri.11^th- Sun.13^th COMMUNITY WEEKEND at SHILOH

Friday night: 7pm

Saturday: 10am - 4pm teaching sessions, fellowship lunch

Sunday: 9.30am Teaching

10.30am Worship service

Community lunch

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MID-YEAR APOSTOLIC SCHOOL

This year we are taking the school to Mackay, and then back to Toowoomba.

One week in Mackay: Tue.29^th June to Sat. 3^rd July, apostolic school

Daily sessions: 10-11, prayer & worship

11-12.15 teaching

1.15-1.45 Lord's Table & testimonies

1.45-2.45 teaching

3-4pm teaching

Tue. 29^th - Fri.2^nd a Junior school for primary school age and teenagers. There will be teaching & training at both levels in the junior school.

Two weeks in Toowoomba: Tue. 6^th to Sat. 17^th July, apostolic school

Daily sessions: 10-11, prayer & worship

11-12.15 teaching

1.15-1.45 Lord's Table & testimonies

1.45-2.45 teaching

3-4pm teaching

Mon.5^th to Fri. 9^th a Junior school, 5 - 13 years,

There are no fees for the schools but you are asked to register so that we can plan accordingly.

Contact in Mackay: Allan & Ethel Millington - phone: mobile: 0407 639 891;

home: 4959 1508

Lexia Mackin - phone: mobile: 0409 966 390

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control; against such there is no law."

(Gal. 5:22-23)