There is a strange phobia that seems to populate some Christian doctrine. It might have something to do with an idea of what it means to be humble. The phobia is with the word “I” as relating to the first person. Searching the New Testament scripture, I have found the use of the word “I” in the first person too many times to easily document. Jesus referred to Himself in the first person, and as a reference to Himself as the “I am.” Peter wrote, "The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed" (1 Peter 5:1). And, “For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me” (2 Peter 1:12-14).

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death (Revelation 12:11). It is by the word of their testimony, and not the reading of someone else’s testimony. Christians are told to be Christ like. The church is called the body of Christ. We have a testimony and to tell it we must use first person pronouns. Jesus died for me. I am the church. I am the body of Christ. I am that I dwell in the I am. Jesus was humble to the point of death, and He is the I am. Testimonies are so very important. This is where I am - this is what God is showing me - this is how God is leading me, first person testimony. We are important, and we are formed one I at a time.

There was oil running down the window of my truck again today – it began as God and I spoke on the way home this evening. That has been happening now for well over two years – when it is just God and I. Praise God!