Keeping Jesus at the Center
Keeping Jesus at the Center: What Does Your Commitment Really Look Like?
It is easy to talk about Jesus. But keeping Him at the actual center of your life is a different challenge entirely. Life fills up fast. Responsibilities grow, schedules get packed, and distractions multiply. Before long, Jesus may still be present in your life, but He is no longer first. This message is about the difference between those two things and why it matters more than most of us realize.
What Does It Mean for Jesus to Have Preeminence?
The Apostle Paul writes in Colossians 1:18, "And he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence." That word preeminence means first place. Not second. Not somewhere in the mix. First in everything.
Jesus is not just an advisor you consult when a big decision comes up. He is not a consultant you bring in when things get hard. He is Lord. He is the head of the body, and the body does not lead the head.
Ephesians 1:22 reinforces this: "And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church." Everything belongs to Him. Every decision, every plan, every priority should flow from that reality.
Whatever Is at the Center of Your Life Directs Your Life
Think about it this way. If money is at the center of your life, you will spend all of your energy chasing it. If a relationship is at the center, that person will dominate your thoughts from the moment you wake up. Whatever sits at the center shapes the direction you move in.
The same is true with Jesus. When He is at the center, everything else begins to find its proper place. When He is not, things start to fall out of balance.
Think of a seesaw. There is a fulcrum in the middle that keeps both sides balanced. God at the center of your life works the same way. He keeps the balance in your mind, your relationships, your finances, your health, your home, and your work. Remove Him from the center and the balance goes with Him.
God Was There Before Your Trial Even Started
One of the most grounding truths in this passage is that Jesus is described as "the beginning." He was here before the foundations of the world. That means He was already at the beginning of your situation before you even walked into it. He knew what you were going to face. He is walking through it with you right now. And He is already at the end of it.
That is why you can trust Him in the middle of a trial. He is not surprised by what you are going through. He was already there.
The Greatest Battle Today Is Not Wickedness. It Is Distraction.
Every app on your phone is competing for your attention. Every notification, every news alert, every social media scroll is pulling at you. And here is the key insight: whatever gets your attention eventually gets your affection.
The enemy understands this. If he can distract you, he can diminish your focus. A focused man or woman of God who knows who they are, whose they are, and what they have been called to do is a serious threat to the enemy. So the strategy is not always outright rebellion. It is distraction. Misplaced priorities. A slow drift.
Many believers today still love Jesus. They still believe in Him. They still worship Him. But life has become crowded. And slowly, Jesus has moved from being first to simply being present.
What Are You Actually Carrying?
There are really only three things a person can be carrying: Jesus, the enemy, or themselves. The Bible describes it as the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life. These are the things that compete with Jesus for the center of our lives.
Paul's call in Colossians is clear. In all things, He must have preeminence. Not just on Sundays. Not just in church. In all things. That means your home, your decisions, your relationships, your finances, and your daily priorities.
What Happens When You Seek Him First?
Matthew 6:33 says, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." There are real benefits to putting Jesus first. Healing. Deliverance. Freedom. A better quality of life. Peace that does not make sense given your circumstances.
When Jesus is at the center, things get added to your life. When He is not, things begin to deteriorate. Health, peace, joy, relationships, and finances all suffer when He is pushed out of first place.
What Does Your Commitment to Jesus Actually Look Like?
Here are some honest questions worth sitting with:
Our Weapons Are Not Physical. They Are Spiritual.
When life gets hard and the enemy pushes back, the response is not to fight with emotions or physical force. The Bible is clear: our weapons of warfare are not carnal, but they are mighty to the pulling down of strongholds. The Word of God, prayer, and meditation are the tools that win the real battles.
Psalm 1 describes the person who meditates on God's Word day and night as being "like a tree planted by the rivers of water." That kind of person does not need to fight their enemies the way the world fights. God prepares a table in the presence of their enemies. Their cup runs over.
It Is Time for a Realignment
When a car hits a pothole, it can knock the wheels out of alignment. Life has potholes too. Unexpected losses, hard seasons, busy stretches that never seem to end. These things can knock us out of alignment without us even noticing.
The good news is that God is not calling you back to the altar out of anger. He is calling you back because He loves you. He is inviting you back to intimacy, back to fellowship, back to Him as your first love. He is giving you the opportunity to realign.
Just like a car does not take itself in for alignment, you have to come. He will not force His way in. But He says, "Come boldly to the throne of grace." That is an open invitation.
Life Application
This week, do one concrete thing to put Jesus back in first place. It does not have to be complicated. Wake up and give Him the first few minutes of your morning before you check your phone. Before you scroll, before you check the news, before you do anything else, give those first moments to Him in prayer or in the Word.
That one shift, done consistently, is what realignment looks like in real life. It is not a dramatic overhaul. It is a daily decision to make Him first.
Ask yourself these questions as you go into the week:
It is easy to talk about Jesus. But keeping Him at the actual center of your life is a different challenge entirely. Life fills up fast. Responsibilities grow, schedules get packed, and distractions multiply. Before long, Jesus may still be present in your life, but He is no longer first. This message is about the difference between those two things and why it matters more than most of us realize.
What Does It Mean for Jesus to Have Preeminence?
The Apostle Paul writes in Colossians 1:18, "And he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence." That word preeminence means first place. Not second. Not somewhere in the mix. First in everything.
Jesus is not just an advisor you consult when a big decision comes up. He is not a consultant you bring in when things get hard. He is Lord. He is the head of the body, and the body does not lead the head.
Ephesians 1:22 reinforces this: "And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church." Everything belongs to Him. Every decision, every plan, every priority should flow from that reality.
Whatever Is at the Center of Your Life Directs Your Life
Think about it this way. If money is at the center of your life, you will spend all of your energy chasing it. If a relationship is at the center, that person will dominate your thoughts from the moment you wake up. Whatever sits at the center shapes the direction you move in.
The same is true with Jesus. When He is at the center, everything else begins to find its proper place. When He is not, things start to fall out of balance.
Think of a seesaw. There is a fulcrum in the middle that keeps both sides balanced. God at the center of your life works the same way. He keeps the balance in your mind, your relationships, your finances, your health, your home, and your work. Remove Him from the center and the balance goes with Him.
God Was There Before Your Trial Even Started
One of the most grounding truths in this passage is that Jesus is described as "the beginning." He was here before the foundations of the world. That means He was already at the beginning of your situation before you even walked into it. He knew what you were going to face. He is walking through it with you right now. And He is already at the end of it.
That is why you can trust Him in the middle of a trial. He is not surprised by what you are going through. He was already there.
The Greatest Battle Today Is Not Wickedness. It Is Distraction.
Every app on your phone is competing for your attention. Every notification, every news alert, every social media scroll is pulling at you. And here is the key insight: whatever gets your attention eventually gets your affection.
The enemy understands this. If he can distract you, he can diminish your focus. A focused man or woman of God who knows who they are, whose they are, and what they have been called to do is a serious threat to the enemy. So the strategy is not always outright rebellion. It is distraction. Misplaced priorities. A slow drift.
Many believers today still love Jesus. They still believe in Him. They still worship Him. But life has become crowded. And slowly, Jesus has moved from being first to simply being present.
What Are You Actually Carrying?
There are really only three things a person can be carrying: Jesus, the enemy, or themselves. The Bible describes it as the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life. These are the things that compete with Jesus for the center of our lives.
Paul's call in Colossians is clear. In all things, He must have preeminence. Not just on Sundays. Not just in church. In all things. That means your home, your decisions, your relationships, your finances, and your daily priorities.
What Happens When You Seek Him First?
Matthew 6:33 says, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." There are real benefits to putting Jesus first. Healing. Deliverance. Freedom. A better quality of life. Peace that does not make sense given your circumstances.
When Jesus is at the center, things get added to your life. When He is not, things begin to deteriorate. Health, peace, joy, relationships, and finances all suffer when He is pushed out of first place.
What Does Your Commitment to Jesus Actually Look Like?
Here are some honest questions worth sitting with:
- What occupies most of your thoughts throughout the day?
- What dominates most of your conversations?
- What receives most of your energy and time?
- Is Jesus first in how you schedule your time?
- Are you praying like you used to? Studying the Word like you used to?
Our Weapons Are Not Physical. They Are Spiritual.
When life gets hard and the enemy pushes back, the response is not to fight with emotions or physical force. The Bible is clear: our weapons of warfare are not carnal, but they are mighty to the pulling down of strongholds. The Word of God, prayer, and meditation are the tools that win the real battles.
Psalm 1 describes the person who meditates on God's Word day and night as being "like a tree planted by the rivers of water." That kind of person does not need to fight their enemies the way the world fights. God prepares a table in the presence of their enemies. Their cup runs over.
It Is Time for a Realignment
When a car hits a pothole, it can knock the wheels out of alignment. Life has potholes too. Unexpected losses, hard seasons, busy stretches that never seem to end. These things can knock us out of alignment without us even noticing.
The good news is that God is not calling you back to the altar out of anger. He is calling you back because He loves you. He is inviting you back to intimacy, back to fellowship, back to Him as your first love. He is giving you the opportunity to realign.
Just like a car does not take itself in for alignment, you have to come. He will not force His way in. But He says, "Come boldly to the throne of grace." That is an open invitation.
Life Application
This week, do one concrete thing to put Jesus back in first place. It does not have to be complicated. Wake up and give Him the first few minutes of your morning before you check your phone. Before you scroll, before you check the news, before you do anything else, give those first moments to Him in prayer or in the Word.
That one shift, done consistently, is what realignment looks like in real life. It is not a dramatic overhaul. It is a daily decision to make Him first.
Ask yourself these questions as you go into the week:
- Is Jesus truly first in my life right now, or is He simply present?
- What is currently at the center of my attention, and is that where I want it to be?
- What is one area of my life where I need to invite Jesus back into first place?
- Am I fighting my battles with the Word and prayer, or am I relying on my own strength and emotions?
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