29 November ROMANS 3

Shifting our focus from what we do to what God does

Romans 3:31(MSG) But by shifting our focus from what we do to what God does, don’t we cancel out all our careful keeping of the rules and ways God commanded? Not at all. What happens, in fact, is that by putting that entire way of life in its proper place, we confirm it.

When I saw this verse, it immediately had an impact on me. So many times, our focus is on ourselves: our issues, our problems, our wants, and our needs. Focusing on our issues can easily take our eyes and focus from God.

It is like anything in life; the more time and focus we give it, the more it becomes our focus. It is sad to think that we spend so much time on things that add no value. The more we focus on God, the greater our God becomes.

Isaiah 26:3(TLB) says: He will keep in perfect peace all those who trust in him, whose thoughts turn often to the Lord!

Shifting our focus from ourselves to Christ, we die to ourselves and live for Him. By focusing on Christ, we fully express who He created us to be.

Almost two thousand years ago, Paul wrote: 2 Timothy 3:2(AMP) “For people will be lovers of self , lovers of money , boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane” This is still so relevant today.

Real life is in Christ. Therefore, we should change our focus from self-focus to God-focus.

Colossians 3:3(AMP) For you died , and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

So, the question arises: How do we change our focus from self-focus to God-focus?

1. Commit yourself daily to GodThere is a song, Begin the day with God, Kneel down to Him in prayer; that so beautifully describes how we should daily focus on God. “Begin the day with God, Kneel down to Him in prayer; Lift up thy heart to His abode, And seek His love to share. Open the Book of God, And read a portion there; That it may hallow all thy thoughts, And sweeten all thy care. Go through the day with God, Whate'er thy work may be; Where'er thou art--at home, abroad, He still is near to thee. Conclude the day with God; Thy sins to Him confess; Trust in the Lord's atoning blood, And plead His righteousness.”

2. Give your cares to God1 Peter 5:6-7(AMP) Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God , so that He may exalt you at the appropriate time, casting all your cares on Him, for He cares about you .

Psalm 55:22(AMP) Cast your burden on the LORD and He will sustain and uphold you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken (slip, fall, fail).

The Message translation says, Psalm 55:22(MSG) Pile your troubles on GOD’S shoulders—he’ll carry your load, he’ll help you out. He’ll never let good people topple into ruin.

“Speak God’s Word into your circumstances. Don’t speak your circumstances into God’s Word.” -Tony Evans

Mark 9:23(MSG) Jesus said, “If? There are no ‘ifs’ among believers. Anything can happen.”

Mark 9:23(NKJV) Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

I conclude by not focusing on the problem. Focus on God who can solve any problem.