po box 272136
fort collins, colorado 80527
toll-free (888) 600-7855
Todd Bailey
This past year, I received a revelation that changed my life: God is my source.
I have heard numerous messages and read the scriptures enough to know that God is my provider, my healer, my deliverer, my savior and much more. For some reason, I knew these attributes of God, but I didn't know it. I had “head” knowledge (information) but not “heart” knowledge (revelation) about God being my source.
This past year the "eyes of my heart were enlightened" while was I was watching an older couple on television. This couple had been in full time ministry for over 60 years. I remember watching them talk about how they started in the ministry and the adjustments they made throughout the years as they followed God's leading to fulfill His will. Within a few minutes, I was completely captivated by what they were saying. It was impressive how they conducted themselves in front of this large crowd while sitting in two large chairs on the platform.
As I listened to them speak, I noticed how one would say something about a particular situation in their lives and how God helped them. Then the other would talk about someone that God used to help them in their ministry. At times they would both go back and forth telling the crowd about the same thing and it was like watching a tennis match with words. They were in such harmony and a compliment to one another.
After the couple had been talking for some
time, one of them began to elaborate on how God had been their
source over the years. Each of them explained the importance
of keeping our eyes upon God as our source and not looking to people
as our source. Placing our
dependence on people as our source opens the door for anger and
disappointment. As they continued to talk about God being our
source and not people, the more revelation I received as to what
they were saying.
After an hour they went off the television, and
I began to ponder what they had said. I thought about the
times that I would say that God was my provider, but in all reality
I was looking for a person to meet the need I was actually praying
for God to meet. I knew that God was my source, but somehow I was
expecting a person to come to my aid. What I was doing
wasn't actually wrong; however, it was my expectation that needed
adjustment.
God is our
Source - we
know that to be true. But God often
uses people as a
resource to help
answer our prayers to Him in whatever area it may be.
God works through people every day, and everyone is important
to God. He loved us so much that He (the Source) sent us His
only begotten Son as a Redeemer to save mankind. We have
also heard that we are "the hands and feet" of God in the earth.
We can see how important everyone is in Ephesians 4:16 (NASB): "From
whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which
every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each
individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up
of itself in love."
We need to keep our expectation upon God to
avoid unnecessary frustration, disappointment and anger with people.
God is our supplier, resource and helper in every situation.
King David himself said it quite well in Psalms 62:5-8:
"My soul, wait only upon God and silently submit to Him; for
my hope and expectation are from Him. He only is my rock and
my salvation; He is my defense and my fortress; I shall not be
moved. With God rests my salvation and my glory; my rock of
unyielding strength and impenetrable hardness, and my refuge is in
God! Trust, lean on, rely on and have confidence in Him at all
times, you people; pour out your heart before Him. God is a refuge
for us---a fortress and a high tower. Selah [pause, and calmly think
of that]!
I would like to share with you a story
that happened when I went on a mission trip to
In 2001, I went to minister at a bible
school outside of
The day of the service we had some free time on
our hands, so one of the ministers asked if I would like to take a
walk into town and see some of the sights. As our small group
was walking we came upon a building with two entrances on each end
of the building. A minister couple began to explain to me that this
was where some of the local people got their water. It was a nice
building and as we approached it, I noticed it had steps leading
down to the floor area about 25 feet below the entrance. To my
amazement, there were about eight water fountains coming out of a
tiled wall that circled the room in which we were now standing.
Each of these fountains had a number placed
next to it. I asked someone in our group why the numbers were
there and they explained to me that it identified each fountain
because each one had a different taste. If I wanted to come back on
another visit to get some water, I could just remember what number I
enjoyed the most and come back to that particular fountain.
I was given a cup and I went around the room
and put my cup under each fountain.
Sure enough, each fountain had its own unique taste.
All of them tasted like sparkling mineral water, but with different
flavors. Although each fountain had it own uniqueness they all
came from the same water source!
While I was enjoying my "taste
testing" one of the minister told me that a well known
international bottled water company was now in
This is basically how it works with God and His
children. All believers come from the same Source and when we
give to the world and to each other what we have from God, it will
have it own uniqueness and flavor. People
have different resources:
gifts, talents, skills, and abilities. Yet we are derived
from one Source. I realize
that there are two groups of people on earth - believers and
unbelievers. We are created in God's image and likeness, but people
can choose to leave their original Source and concede to the devil
as their source. But for
those who chose to abide in the Vine and keep God as their source
can come to the river of life and drink until their cup runs over!
Friends, we need to help each other and bear
one another's burdens and learn to love our neighbors as we love
ourselves, but we can only be a resource of the one Source - GOD.
God is our Source
Scriptures
Looking unto Jesus the
author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set
before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down
at the right hand of the throne of God.
Heb 1:3
Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his
person, and upholding all
things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged
our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Psalms 27:1
The LORD is
my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
the LORD is the strength
of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalms 46:1
God is
our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Phil 4:13
I can do all things through
Christ which strengtheneth me.
John 15:5
I am the vine, ye are the
branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth
forth much fruit: for
without me ye can do nothing.
Psalms 91:2
I
will say of the LORD, He is
my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
Zech 4:6
Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the
LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but
by my spirit, saith the
LORD of hosts.