FOCUS ON JESUS - PART 3

WEDNESDAY 22 MARCH 2023

The Christian men and women who truly focus on Jesus are the specimens and exhibitions of what God intends for humankind, and through them, He manifests His purpose in this present world. Anybody focusing on Jesus will always experience a towering level of His endless possibilities and the real power of the glorious gospel in their lives.

Reference: John 12:20-21 New American Standard Bible (NASB) "Now there were some Greeks among those who were going up to worship at the feast; Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus.""

How do we practically focus on Jesus, as born again Christians, since we can't see Him on earth in bodily form?

1. By accepting all He has done for us on the cross. 2. By proclaiming all which He has done - in our world, and by declaring them over our lives. 3. By being conscious of practising the system of truth, which God has revealed in the Scriptures. 4. By being faithful to God and His Word, as we grow in our faith walk. 5. By exercising our faith in the finished work of Christ on a regular basis, especially when we face life's challenges. 6. By being spiritually minded.

Hebrews 12:2 (AMP) reads, "[looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One who brings our faith to maturity], who for the joy [of accomplishing the goal] set before Him endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God [revealing His deity, His authority, and the completion of His work]."

Jesus is the Author of every divine destiny. Acts 3:15 (NLT) reads, "You killed the Author of life, but God raised Him from the dead, and we are witnesses of the fact." He is the Author of which life? Divine life! He authors real life. They didn't actually kill Him successfully because He rose from the dead; so they simply exercised their foolishness. Author comes from the Latin word "auctorem", meaning: founder, master, leader, originator, pioneer, or Prince Leader. It denotes a person responsible for something, and in this context, Jesus Christ is the Author of the salvation and divine plan for all mankind who would spend eternity with God.

As a Perfecter of our faith, He brings our faith to maturity, through the accurate leading of the Holy Spirit. Remember that the Holy Spirit is the unity of the Father and Son. Therefore, as you function in Christ, you can't afford to ignore or neglect the guidance of the Spirit because He's the One that will guide you into manifold divine experience. Sometimes, when trials come your way, He will empower you to endure the trials and overcome, without fainting. And as you put your faith to work in such situations and proclaim the truth which God has revealed, you are focusing on Jesus Christ, thereby growing spiritually. Throughout the process, He is bringing your faith to maturity. So by focusing on Jesus, and living according to the Word, we experience continual growth in our personal Christian lives.

Finally, the Bible says, "And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world" (1 Corinthians 15:19 NLT). What does this mean? The reward of focusing on Jesus does not end here on earth. He is coming back soon, and we shall see Him as He really is, when He appears. Revelations 1:7 (ESV) says, "Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen." More so, Jesus is not coming empty handed, for the Bible says, "Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done; I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End" (Revelation 22:12-13 NIV). Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Colossians 1:15; Colossians 2:2-3; Colossians 3:1-3; 1 John 4:12.

Exuberant Declaration: I believe in the finished work of Christ and I'm conscious of the eyes of the Lord, which are always upon me. As I continually prepare for Christ's coming, I believe that I shall see Him as He is, when He appears. For this reason, I stay watchful and sober, focusing on Jesus, the Author and finisher of my faith, thereby serving God in truth, in Spirit, and with fervent love. Hence, I testify that nothing shakes my trust in the Lord, because I stand on Christ, the solid ground. Hallelujah!