Shifting Your Center
I. Life with God as Your Center
• You live in the Conscious Awareness of God, others, and yourself.
Matthew 22:37-40 – 37Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the LORD your GOD with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and great commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your NEIGHBOR as yourself.’ 40On these two commandments hang ALL the Law and the Prophets.”
• God is our Center.
• Others are our Mission.
• Self is Stewardship — not the center.
• You live in the Constant Awareness of the presence of God.
Psalm 16:8 – I have set the LORD ALWAYS BEFORE ME; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
• You live in the Clear Awareness of the true God.
Hebrews 11:6 – But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God MUST BELIEVE THAT HE IS, and that He is a REWARDER of those who diligently seek Him.
• You live in the Captivating Awareness of the God ALL THINGS.
Colossians 1:15-18 – 15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over ALL CREATION. 16For by Him ALL THINGS were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. ALL THINGS were created through Him and for Him. 17And He is before ALL THINGS, and in Him ALL THINGS CONSIST. 18And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in ALL THINGS He may have the preeminence.
Romans 11:36 – “For of Him and through Him and to Him are ALL THINGS, to whom be glory forever. Amen.”
• OF Him = God is the source
• THROUGH Him = God is the sustainer
• TO Him = God is the end/aim
II. Shifting Your Center – You Reorder Your Life Around Him
1. Your Identity Center must shift – Whatever names you rules you.
- Performance – “I am what I achieve.” So, success inflates and failure crushes.
- Pleasure – “If I feel good, life is good.” So, emotions become authority.
- Pain – “What happened to me defines me.” So, past wounds shape present living.
- Approval – “What others think determines who I am.” So, you live by someone else’s opinions. That is exhausting.
Genesis 1:27 – So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
2 Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
2. Your Security Center must shift – Self-centeredness is often fear trying to stay safe.
Psalm 62:5-6 – 5My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him. 6He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved.
2 Timothy 1:7 – For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
3. Your Decision Center must shift – Your center determines your questions.
• Self-centered living constantly asks:
- What benefits me?
- What protects me?
- What feels easiest?
- What preserves comfort?
• God-centered living asks:
- What honors God?
- What advances His Kingdom?
- What reflects His truth?
- What impacts another’s eternity?
Proverbs 3:5-6 – 5Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; 6In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
4. Your Purpose Center must shift – A God-centered life is not about living for self with God’s help.
Philippians 1:21 – For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Three questions daily:
1. Who is my center?
2. What is my life orbiting around?
3. What is one thing I could do to shift my center in identity, security, decision, and purpose?