Join us on this journey to deepen your relationship with Jesus. This is part one of eight in the “Jesus, I Need You” series by Thistlebend Ministries. The plans in this series can be done in any order. See also Jesus, I Need You (companion prayer). 6 Days
Day 1 – Devotional
Jesus’ world is completely God-centered. Ours is predominantly me-centered, which is what most hinders a real, tangible, intimate relationship with Jesus. It is often hard to discern how different our ways are from His ways because no matter what kind of home we have been raised in, we acquire habits, behaviors, thought patterns, and reasoning from many sources other than Jesus Christ without even knowing it. And these become real to us and completely “normal” and acceptable. We don’t even realize how much our Christian life is flavored with the world.
We no longer want to be knowingly or unknowingly fused with the culture. We want Jesus. We need Jesus. We need our Immanuel to accomplish this work in us! We want our mind, our energies, and our heart focused more and more on Him and less on ourselves and our circumstances. We want Him and Him alone.
We can know Him more intimately than a spouse, a sister, a mother, or a life-long best friend. Can He be that real? I believe He can. His love for us and His interest in our lives is greater than we know. We underestimate what the Lord wants to be to us. We get in the way. It is my prayer, though, that He will take us out of the way.
PRAISE HIM
Begin by praising God for sending His Son, the Living Word, the One who loves us with an everlasting love. Use John 1:14-18 as inspiration.ADMIT TO HIM
Put your pen to paper and make a list of the things you crave more than the Lord or that keep you from fully surrendering everything to the Lord. What do you hunger and thirst after? Acceptance? Popularity? Position? Perfection? Power? Success? Comfort?THANK HIM
Take time now to thank Him for his willingness to be always waiting for you and always ready to hear your cry and come to your aid.ASK HIM
Without holding back, ask Him now, in faith, to change your desires – that you would desire Him more than yourself or any other thing. Ask Him to help you want less and less of you until you can truly say, “Only Christ.”
Scripture References
John 15:5 & 12-13 TPT
5 “I am the sprouting vine and you’re my branches. As you live in union with me as your source, fruitfulness will stream from within you—but when you live separated from me you are powerless. Remember 12 “So this is my command: Love each other deeply, as much as I have loved you. 13 For the greatest love of all is a love that sacrifices all. And this great love is demonstrated when a person sacrifices his life for his friends.
John 1:14-18 TPT
14 And so the Living Expression became a man and lived among us! And we gazed upon the splendor of his glory, the glory of the One and Only who came from the Father overflowing with tender mercy and truth! 15 John taught the truth about him when he announced to the people, “He’s the One! Set your hearts on him! I told you he would come after me, even though he ranks far above me, for he existed before I was even born.” 16 And now out of his fullness we are fulfilled! And from him we receive grace heaped upon more grace! 17 Moses gave us the Law, but Jesus, the Anointed One, unveils truth wrapped in tender mercy. 18 No one has ever gazed upon the fullness of God’s splendor except the uniquely beloved Son, who is cherished by the Father and held close to his heart. Now he has unfolded to us the full explanation of who God truly is!
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