You Need The Truth About Jesus the Word & Self-Sufficiency

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What does knowing Jesus, the Word Made Flesh, have to do with self-sufficiency?

I sometimes wonder if I would have been a follower of Jesus 2,000 years ago or if I would have aligned with the self-sufficient self-righteous Pharisees.

John’s words challenge me and make me suspect the latter…

He came into the very world He created, but the world didn’t recognize Him. He came to His own people, and even they rejected Him. 

John 1:10–11

You see, I grew up in church. If the doors were open my family was there. The rules and obedience were stressed at home and the parochial school I attended.

I worked hard to be “good.”

So yes, I’m afraid I would have been a self-righteous Pharisee, and if I’m being honest, I may have been guilty of more than my share of self-righteous moments even now.

But by His grace, God humbled me and showed me my tremendous need for His mercy and grace. I wasn’t “good” … I was a sinner in need of forgiveness and I still am. I need Jesus!

But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

John 1:12–13

Jesus is Good News for sinners.

God created people because He wanted a relationship with them. Since the beginning, He has wanted everyone to KNOW, LOVE, and TRUST Him. He wants us all to be born again and have our sinful selfish natures covered by Jesus’ sacrificial love through faith and forgiveness.

God knows stubborn self-sufficiency has been around since sin entered the world…

Satan tempted Eve and Adam to doubt God telling them that if they ate of the Tree of Good and Evil they would be like Him … they could know it all and do it all themselves.

Immediately following that sin, God promised to send a Savior…

I will cause hostility between you and the woman,
    and between your offspring and her offspring.
He will strike your head,
    and you will strike His heel.”

Genesis 3:15

And when the time was right, Jesus the Word became human and made His home among us…

So the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

John 1:14

Jesus fulfilled that promise and made it possible for us to rely on Him for forgiveness. He willingly came to show us God’s unfailing love and faithfulness and how to surrender our self-sufficiency to rely on God completely.

Jesus proclaimed…

The Father and I are one.

John 10:30

And yet, He left the crowds to spend time alone with the Father…

Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.

Mark 1:35

Jesus was and is the Word made Flesh. He showed us the magnitude of the Father’s love and blessing of living the humble surrendered life God wants for us. So…

It’s time to reject our foolish self-sufficiency and give ourselves completely to Jesus through humble repentance and inviting Him to transform our hearts to love and trust in Him alone.

Let’s pray…

A Prayer to Surrender Self-Sufficiency
And Trust Jesus the Word Made Flesh

Father, how can I begin to thank you for Jesus the Word made Flesh? He has always been and will always be One with You; yet, He willingly surrendered all of Himself to accomplish Your plans and purposes.

He suffered ridicule and betrayal in the world He created to glorify You and show us Your unfailing love and faithfulness. He demonstrated the importance of spending time alone with You.

You promise that we can be reborn through grace and given the right to be declared Your children through faith in Him.

You are Awesome God—Father, Son, and Spirit. You are perfect LOVE and redeeming grace. As I take to heart the truth of who You are, I understand who I am and understand that any attempt at self-sufficiency truly is foolish.

I can’t KNOW, LOVE, TRUST, and OBEY You on my own. I won’t even SEEK You without Your Spirit’s invitation and prompting. He inspired John to write, “This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son.” (1 John 4:10) And “We love because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)

So, I surrender my self-sufficiency and give my heart to You. Thank you for wanting me to KNOW, LOVE, and TRUST You. Thank you for helping me and making it possible. Thank you for Jesus the Word Made Flesh. Amen.

Here are a couple of quotes to inspire you…

“God does not guide those who want to run their own life. He only guides those who admit their need of His direction and rely on His wisdom.” ~ W. Pratney

“Following Jesus is not about diligently keeping a set of rules or conjuring up the moral fortitude to lead good lives. It’s about loving God and enjoying Him.” ~ Francis Chan

“Jesus taught that your highest priority must be your relationship with Him. If anything detracts you from that relationship, that activity is not from God. God will not ask you to do something that hinders your relationship with Christ.” ~ Henry Blackaby

May Jesus the Word bless you and keep you as you place your hope in Him.

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