How God's Holy People Can Impact an Unholy World

Two small words. Only three letters.

Moses asked God, "When the people ask me, 'What is His name?' What should I tell them?"  God replied to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you" (Exodus 3:13-14).

I AM.

Oh, the power in His name.

These two words, in all caps, hold within them the fullness of God.

In light of the recent school shooting in Florida, where 17 souls moved from this world to the next by a senseless act of evil, I can only respond with this:

As long as we live in this world full of sin, evil will manifest itself through broken people. We cannot always stop a person from doing evil things, but we can illuminate the dark around us by being God's Light and Hope, offering the only cure for their broken hearts - Jesus Christ. 

This world needs to see Hope through those who claim to have Christ in their hearts.

Until we stop ignoring our call to be holy, we will continue to drift through life having no impact on the world around us whatsoever as evil continues to place a stronghold on more and more of our society.

This breaks God's heart!

Recently, I was studying through week five of "Live Like You Belong to God" and noticed I AM stated backwards becomes a question: Am I? So, I began to ask myself some Am I questions:

Am I living the holy life God's redeemed me for and called me to? 
...but as the One who called you is holy, you are to be holy in all your conduct; for it is written, Be holy because I am holy (1 Peter 1: 15-16).

Am I living a distinguishable life from the unholy culture around me? 
If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit (Galatians 5:25).

Am I living as a new creation or am I blending in with worldly ways and habits?
For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (Ephesians 5:8).

I AM has never wavered in His character. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. In contrast, we live with the constant tension between our flesh and our spirit. We struggle daily to not waver, but we often do.

Then, how in the world is it possible to live the holy life God has called us to?

It's not. 

But with the power of I AM in us, all He calls us to is possible.

We are the temple of God because the Holy Spirit dwells in us.
For the temple of God is holy and that is what you are (1 Corinthians 3:17). 

The Holy Spirit is working right now in and through Believers to make us holy perfect - perfect in our representation of a holy God. He's chipping away at all that's unholy and shaping what is holy into the image of Jesus Christ. It's called sanctification. 

Every day we must intentionally ask:

Am I willing to die to self today so I can present Christ well?

If God's name, I AM, plainly states the holy, unwavering character of God without reservation, then...

Am I, without trepidation, displaying God's holy character well under the authority of His holy name?

We, the nation of God's holy people, must fall humbly to our knees in broken repentance, asking Him to forgive us of ignoring His call to holiness - to stand up and stand out. We must pray for the courage and strength to die to self and walk in obedience. Only then can we rise up to live separate, distinguishable, countercultural lives by the power of the Holy Spirit, and resist the evil one who is seeking to destroy our families, our youth, and all people through broken lives and broken minds.

Dear Jesus, 

Forgive us. Give us courage to stand out among the crowd and be recognized as Your ambassadors, your holy people. Help us to heed the call to be Light and to bring hope to a hopeless world. 

In Your powerful name (I AM) we pray, 
Amen.

My Pleasure,
Melanie