Becky Harling is a new author for me. I've never heard of her or read any of her work prior to getting this study. Two things immediately pulled me to this study. The purple wash of color because it screams royalty and the subtitle of the book:
A fresh encounter for deeper faith.

That subtitle just clicked with my spirit because my word of 2018 is Faith so I knew I needed this study and I am so glad that I got it as a review copy. This is a fairly new study as it came out last month. If you're familiar with the New Testament, specifically the gospels (Matthew-John), Jesus tends to bring up the question "who do you say that I am?" a lot to his disciples and those around Him. I knew this would mainly be a New Testament Bible study, but it does have some scripture references to the Old Testament.

This is an 8 week study that goes 5 days a week giving you 2 days to catch-up or meditate on what you've done throughout the week. This study is set up as follows: each week focuses on a question that Jesus asked examining the scripture. From there she gives what she calls "homework" in four parts:
+ Explore which is a guided study of the scripture(s).
+ Reflect which focuses on personal growth. This part is all about being honest and authentic with yourself and God.
+ Memorize which sounds as it says -- a scripture or scriptures to remember.
+ Praise which encourages you to praise Christ.

This study is simply amazing and the purple just adds to the awesomeness. I highly suggest this beauty to everyone.

This book would be a good study guide for either home study/private devotions or as a small group Bible study. Each section leads through a devotional look at the Scripture and is inspiring and easily understandable. A great way to go through the “I Am”statements of Jesus.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to give a positive review. This is my honest opinion of this book.

Who Do You Say That I AM?

by Becky Harling

Welcome to Who Do You Say That I AM?, an eight week Bible study by Becky Harling. I knew this was a study I wanted to experience as soon as I read the title. Jesus’ question to His disciples “Who do you say that I am?” has always made me pause. He was giving them an opportunity to think through what they knew about Him and make a declaration of faith. This Bible study gives us a chance to do the same thing. It examines what Jesus said about Himself in eight I AM statements, all recorded by His disciple John in the New Testament of the Bible.

Harling has a comfortable style of writing as she sets up her lessons (5/week) in a way that encourages the reader to delve into Scriptures looking for meaning based on the original Hebrew words. She guides the reader in the process so it is a facet of the study: it is not overwhelming or overly pedantic. The reader is always encouraged to apply the truths to her own life. There are practical tips as well, such as compiling an emergency Scripture kit for the tough times. She also emphasizes praise songs and prayer in each lesson. Each lesson is put in a cultural context including a Bible story or a recounting of personal experiences in contemporary settings.

Who Do You Say That I AM? will get you involved in really examining what Jesus says about Himself. If you don’t have a relationship with Jesus yet, this could be the book that helps you understand the claims of the Bible (God’s Word) and make a decision. If you are already a follower of Jesus, this book is a great way to learn more about Him and turn your focus on Him moment by moment as you make your way through each day.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Moody Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Christian

Notes: Bible study

Publication: February 6, 2018—Moody Publishing

Memorable Lines:

In a culture that devalued women, Jesus makes His first I AM statement to a woman! While religious systems often devalue women, Jesus honors women.

The two best weapons I know for fighting Satan when he tries to throw guilt and shame at you are: Praise and Scripture.

Human love, wonderful as it is, will at some level disappoint us and let us down. It is only Christ’s perfect, infinite, complete love that comes with the promise of satisfaction.

As I began to be intentional about worshipping Jesus Christ every morning, the Holy Spirit began to radically change my life. Fear turned to courage, worry turned to calm, and doubt turned to faith. I now believe that becoming intentional in the realm of praise is essential for every believer.

Want to dig deep in a study about Jesus this Lent? Here’s the perfect book for you.

This book is a true Bible study. It’s similar to a workbook, because there are several scriptures and many questions to help you dig deep into Jesus’ “I Am” statements. The author also shares a brief devotion that contains her personal stories, which are engaging.

This is an eight-week study, which will fit nicely into Lent and spill over a bit. Each day is structured with a brief devotion and/or an explanation of the scripture, an invitation to Explore with further study, a section to help you Reflect with personal questions, a Praise section which often includes song selections, and a Memorize prompt to help you keep God’s Word in your heart.

I enjoyed this deep method of study. I also enjoyed Becky Harling‘s honesty and vulnerability in her stories. She talks about how God strengthened her faith after childhood abuse and helped her deal with insecurities and ministry challenges. Even though this is primarily a Bible study, I felt like I got to know her. The primary focus of this book is knowing Jesus better, and she helps us do that through this study.

This is one of my favorite quotes from the book:

"A little bit of Jesus was not enough. I wanted all of him, and I wanted him to have all of me. My life circumstances didn’t change, but I sure did. I became confident in Christ. My doubts settled down. My fears quieted, and my faith flourished."

Netgalley gave me a free review copy of this book.

In the book Who Do You Say that I AM?, author Becky Harling, takes the reader on journey to discover who we believe Jesus is, not just the superficial quick responses. Answer the question that Jesus asked His disciples – Who do you say I AM? Harling connects us with the I AM statements of Jesus, helping us discover our response to who is Jesus.
I would highly recommend this thought provoking book to anyone for self-reflection and a challenge. I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

If your hope is to draw closer to God then this is the read for you.
Becky Harling starts each chapter with a question that Jesus asked, follows this with an appropriate 'I am' statement and with a fair portion of bible study opens your mind and heart to enable you to learn more of the truth about who Jesus is.
We are left each day with a spiritual song enabling us to draw nearer to His presence.
The final chapter explains how to move forwards with the teaching and I found this chapter very inspirational.
I highly recommend this book which I was given by NetGalley and the publisher. This is my voluntary review.

Granted, I didn't do this study as it was intended (daily, fully immersed in looking up all the verses, meditating on what I'd just read, etc.), however, I think this would be a fantastic book for a small group! It gives a ton of scriptural support as well as thought-provoking questions to get the reader thinking deeper about themselves and about Jesus. If someone is looking to increase their quiet time or scripture reading time, I would highly recommend this study for that. If someone is looking to know Jesus better or study some of His life more, I would also recommend this study for that. I loved that the whole study was just one book - the commentary, the readings, and the questions. It seems so silly to find delight in that, but in today's world, it can sometimes be tricky to find a good study that's only one book as opposed to spending double to get the book and the actual study (which, of course, are incomplete without the other).
Definitely recommend. In fact, when it's published, I just might lead a group in a study of this book!

This book is similar to other books I have read on this subject. It does not offer anything new.