Pt 2 - Is Jesus Your Source?
Watch or Listen to the Video
This 3-minute video and devotion come from a message of the same title. There’s a link to the full message at the end of this devotion.
Fresh Thinking
How can we begin experiencing Jesus as the source for all that we need in every situation? How can we NOT just hear it and intellectualize it? Instead, how can we begin to see this incredible truth actually transform our lives?
First of all, we have to be willing to throw out all of our own thinking because our natural thinking – is, as they say, stinking.
Isaiah 55:8–9 (NLT) 8 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. 9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
God is not our equal, and our logic and our thinking are NOT equal to God’s. If we are going to be transformed by God, then our natural thinking must be put aside.
Romans 8:5–6 (ESV) 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
For Jesus to become our source, we’ve got to stop setting our minds on the flesh (our own thinking), and instead, start setting our minds on the Spirit (the things of God).
Isaiah 55:8–9 (NLT) 8 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. 9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
God is not our equal, and our logic and our thinking are NOT equal to God’s. If we are going to be transformed by God, then our natural thinking must be put aside.
Romans 8:5–6 (ESV) 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
For Jesus to become our source, we’ve got to stop setting our minds on the flesh (our own thinking), and instead, start setting our minds on the Spirit (the things of God).
Two Truths
With that critical prerequisite, we are now ready for two huge truths to set us on our way to Jesus truly being our source for all we need in every situation, to do all that he has called us to do. One is practical, and one is relational.
The first truth is: 1). Keep following Jesus – no matter what. (practical)
The second truth is: 2). Draw closer to Jesus – because of our need. (relational)
The first truth is: 1). Keep following Jesus – no matter what. (practical)
The second truth is: 2). Draw closer to Jesus – because of our need. (relational)
Keep Obeying
The number one thing we’ve got to keep doing in order to keep following Jesus is
#1) Keep obeying Jesus – no matter what you think.
There’s this battle in our lives – the Spirit versus the flesh. Galatians 5:16 and following explain it perfectly. We know what God says to do, but we have the ability to convince ourselves to do otherwise. Following Jesus – no matter what, means obeying Jesus – no matter what you think.
John 14:15 (AMP) 15 If you [really] love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands.
When you need Jesus to be your source, that is the most critical time to keep obeying him. That is not the time to put your own thinking over God’s commands.
#1) Keep obeying Jesus – no matter what you think.
There’s this battle in our lives – the Spirit versus the flesh. Galatians 5:16 and following explain it perfectly. We know what God says to do, but we have the ability to convince ourselves to do otherwise. Following Jesus – no matter what, means obeying Jesus – no matter what you think.
John 14:15 (AMP) 15 If you [really] love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands.
When you need Jesus to be your source, that is the most critical time to keep obeying him. That is not the time to put your own thinking over God’s commands.
Keep Serving
The second thing we’ve got to do is
#2) Keep serving Jesus – no matter how you feel.
Very often, the environment where we finally learn that Jesus is truly our source for all that we need – is in serving him, because serving Jesus crushes our self-will. It crushes our pride, and it crushes our determination to do things our way. Remember, this is how Jesus broke these same sins in his first Disciples. It was in the midst of the pressure of serving him (Mark 6:30-44).
But sadly, we see far too often, instead of people being transformed in serving, they quit serving Jesus. They quit serving in order to avoid the Refiner’s fire that Jesus wants to use to get us to the place of knowing that he – himself – is truly the source for all we need in order to do all that he has called us to do.
Don’t quit! If you keep serving him, you will learn that Jesus is your source.
#2) Keep serving Jesus – no matter how you feel.
Very often, the environment where we finally learn that Jesus is truly our source for all that we need – is in serving him, because serving Jesus crushes our self-will. It crushes our pride, and it crushes our determination to do things our way. Remember, this is how Jesus broke these same sins in his first Disciples. It was in the midst of the pressure of serving him (Mark 6:30-44).
But sadly, we see far too often, instead of people being transformed in serving, they quit serving Jesus. They quit serving in order to avoid the Refiner’s fire that Jesus wants to use to get us to the place of knowing that he – himself – is truly the source for all we need in order to do all that he has called us to do.
Don’t quit! If you keep serving him, you will learn that Jesus is your source.
Fix Our Eyes
The third thing we’ve got to do in order to keep following Jesus is
#3) Keep our eyes firmly fixed on Jesus
Colossians 3:1–3 (NLT) 1 . . . set your sights on the realities of heaven . . . 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.
Too often, we try to get God to set his sights on our realities here on earth. But God says, no, you set your sights on the realities of heaven and the things of heaven, then I will be your source for all you need.
#3) Keep our eyes firmly fixed on Jesus
Colossians 3:1–3 (NLT) 1 . . . set your sights on the realities of heaven . . . 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.
Too often, we try to get God to set his sights on our realities here on earth. But God says, no, you set your sights on the realities of heaven and the things of heaven, then I will be your source for all you need.
The Conduit
The conduit, the way in which we receive all that we need from Jesus as our source, is not practical – it’s relational. The conduit through which Jesus pours his provision into us is our daily relationship with him.
The second truth is: 2). Draw closer to Jesus – because of our need. (relational)
The place where the miraculous provision of Jesus occurs is within our continually growing relationship with him. Our daily relationship with Jesus is the conduit – it is the pipeline through which Jesus pours all that we need into our lives. To create the conduit to receive the provision Jesus has for us, we must draw closer to Jesus because of our need.
The second truth is: 2). Draw closer to Jesus – because of our need. (relational)
The place where the miraculous provision of Jesus occurs is within our continually growing relationship with him. Our daily relationship with Jesus is the conduit – it is the pipeline through which Jesus pours all that we need into our lives. To create the conduit to receive the provision Jesus has for us, we must draw closer to Jesus because of our need.
Draw Near
James 4:8 (ESV) 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you . . .
John 15:4 (ESV) 4 Abide in me, and I (will abide) in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
These are conditional statements. If we want God to draw near to us, then we must draw near to him. If we want to experience the miraculous provision of Jesus, then we must learn to always be abiding in Christ.
I promise if you will learn to develop the daily relational conduit that will allow Jesus to pour his miraculous provision into your life, then Jesus will be your source for all that you need, in every situation, in order to do all that he has called you to do.
John 15:4 (ESV) 4 Abide in me, and I (will abide) in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
These are conditional statements. If we want God to draw near to us, then we must draw near to him. If we want to experience the miraculous provision of Jesus, then we must learn to always be abiding in Christ.
I promise if you will learn to develop the daily relational conduit that will allow Jesus to pour his miraculous provision into your life, then Jesus will be your source for all that you need, in every situation, in order to do all that he has called you to do.