“Jesus gave them this answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does” (John 5:19 NIV).
JESUS DID NOTHING ON HIS OWN! How often do we say, “I need to do this” or “We need to make this happen”? We must be careful to be in step with God, or we surely will be ahead of Him and end up in a ditch. Read the following verses and reflect on what Jesus did. Consider how much you are doing in your own strength.
“I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 5:30).
“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 6:38).
“So Jesus said, ‘When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him’” (John 8:28-29).
“Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me’” (John 8:42).
“For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak” (John 12:49).
“Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works” (John 14:10).
Amazingly, Christ described Himself as a “do nothing on my own” leader. Jesus Christ did nothing on His own initiative; it was the Father who initiated the work. God the Father was the source of Christ’s leadership, and it was transferred through an intimate relationship.
“If Jesus provides the model for spiritual leadership, then the key is not for leaders to develop visions and to set direction for their organizations. The Key is to obey and to preserve everything the Father reveals to them of His will.” — Henry Blackaby
BW
Purchase the Entire Devotional – “Experiencing Christ as Life and Leader”
The devotion above was taken from the 52-week Devotional entitled “Experiencing Christ as Life and Leader”.
Many give a mental assent to this teaching yet are often asking, “What do I do? What does Christ as life look like?“ Too often Christians err by moving too far to one side or the other—reducing the Christian life to a list of do’s and don’ts, or they actually do nothing.
These inspiring weekly devotions are just some of the actions that reflect the life of Christ in each of us, and they explore four areas as we follow the One Leader, Jesus Christ –
- A Foundational Focus
- A Personal Focus
- A Relational Focus
- A Missional Focus
Be challenged, encouraged, and spurred on to a deeper walk with Christ.
Purchase Your Copy in our online store
Purchase Your Copy on Amazon
In your words above in the second sentence you have “many give mental assent to this teaching “yedft” yet are often… I think this is a misspelt word.
check it out.
Stanley – thank you for mentioning the correction!