Seeking Jesus First - March 26, 2026
“Teaching That Comes from God”
Please Read John 7:14–18 (NKJV)
Reflection
Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. The Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?”
Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.”
The people were astonished at Jesus’ teaching. He had never attended the formal rabbinical schools, yet He taught with authority and depth that surpassed the scribes. Their question revealed their assumption: true teaching must come through human channels and credentials. Jesus corrected their thinking at the root.
“My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me.”
The source of Jesus’ teaching was the Father Himself. He did not speak from human wisdom or personal ambition. He spoke what He heard from the Father.
Then Jesus gave a powerful key: “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God…”
This is a spiritual principle. The ability to discern whether teaching is from God is not primarily intellectual — it is relational and volitional. When our heart is set to do the Father’s will, our spiritual taste buds become tuned to recognize His voice. Just as our physical taste buds begin to crave the foods we feed them regularly, our spiritual taste buds begin to crave the pure Word of God when we consistently choose to obey it.
The one who speaks from himself seeks his own glory. But the one who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true. Jesus lived this perfectly — He sought only the Father’s glory. That is why His teaching carried divine authority and life.
In the Kingdom life, we are called to develop spiritual taste buds that hunger for what is truly from God. When we renew our minds by feeding on His Word and choosing to do His will, we grow in the ability to discern truth from error. We begin to crave the pure milk and strong meat of Scripture. We recognize the voice of the Good Shepherd and reject the voice of strangers.
Application
Today, examine what you are feeding your spiritual taste buds. Are you regularly consuming the Word of God, or are you filling your mind with other voices? Make a deliberate choice to do the Father’s will in one specific area today. Renew your mind with this truth: “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God.” Spend time in Scripture, asking the Holy Spirit to sharpen your discernment. As you obey, notice how your hunger for God’s truth grows. Share with someone how feeding on God’s Word has changed what you crave spiritually — your testimony can help them develop healthy spiritual taste buds too.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You that Jesus taught only what He heard from You. Thank You that when we set our hearts to do Your will, You help us discern what is truly from You. Renew our spiritual taste buds today. Forgive us for the times we have fed on things that dull our hunger for Your Word. Help us crave Your truth above all else. Give us grace to do Your will so we may know Your doctrine. Let our lives seek Your glory alone, not our own. May we grow in discernment and walk in the pure teaching that comes from You. In Jesus’ name, giving thanks for the living Word of the Lord. Amen.