God Centered Living...

Think about the book of Genesis and how it is the record of God accomplishing His purposes through Abraham. It isn't the record of Abraham's walk with God. There is a difference of focus there. Now, think about how that same thing applies to sin. The essence of sin is a shift from a God-centeredness to a self-centeredness. Here are some descriptions:

Self-centered:

• life focused on self
• proud of self and self's accomplishments
• self confidence
• depending on self and one's own abilities
• affirming self
• seeking to be acceptable to the world and its ways
• looking at circumstances from a human perspective
• selfish and ordinary living

God-centered :

• confidence in God
• dependence on God and His ability and provision
• life focused on God and His activity
• humble before God
• denying self
• seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness
• seeking God's perspective in every circumstance
• holy and godly living

Oh how subtle self-centeredness is. We can be doing well one minute and fall into with the very next breath. As John 12:23-25 says God-centeredness requires a daily death of self and submission to God. What must one do to live a God-centered life? We must focus our life on God's purposes rather than our own plans. That means to seek to see every situation from God's perspective rather than from our own distorted human perspective. Think about it. When God has wanted to do something, He has always taken the initiative. Remember the flood, God came to Noah. When He was ready to demolish Sodom and Gomorrah, He came to Abraham. God came to Gideon. God came to Saul when He was ready for the gospel to be carried to the Gentiles. The perspective of us thinking up what we want to accomplish for God and then call God in and ask Him to help us accomplish it isn't scriptural. Scripture shows us a pattern in that we submit ourselves to God and 1) wait until God shows us what He is about to do or 2) we watch and see what God is doing around us and join Him.