Have you ever noticed how often Jesus said the words “I AM”? When Jesus used these words, He was calling His disciples to remember the divine name of YHWH (Yahweh) that was revealed to Moses at the burning bush:

“I am who I am” (Exodus 3:14).

In the Gospel of John, Jesus linked YHWH of the Old Testament with Himself when He said:

“I am the bread of life” (6:35, 48); “I am the light of the world” (8:12, 9:5); “I am the gate of the sheep” (10:7); “I am the good shepherd” (10:11, 14); “I am the resurrection and the life” (11:25; “I am the true vine” (15:1); and “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (14:6).

Whenever Jesus identified Himself with the great “I AM” of the Old Testament, the ears of the disciples were immediately awakened, but the hearts of the prideful religious leaders were incensed! If you and I believe and rest in these truths about the nature and character of Jesus, we will have everything we need to live godly and productive lives. But we must also realize that He did not just offer us these things – HE IS these things. In a very real sense, He is our life now. The Apostle Paul recognized this when he shared the testimony of his own life with the churches of Galatia:

“I am crucified with Christ, and yet not I, but Christ lives in me; And the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians. 2:20).

Paul recognized the truth that it is Jesus who lives inside of every Christian, and the life that we now live in the flesh is actually Jesus’ life being lived through us. He is not just our example – He is the very substance of our being.

So, friends, let’s remember that if you know Jesus as your Savior, He is present within you right now, and His desire is to transform you into His likeness. And being transformed into His likeness involves the transformation of our character, our conduct, and our calling to minister to the needs of others. Jesus said,

“A disciple must become like His Master” (Matthew 10:25).

If you are a disciple (a “learner” and “follower”) of Jesus, then we need to realize that we become more like Him if we allow His life inside of us to live through us.

I pray that we will all allow Jesus to live His life through us this week. Blessings to each of you.