Christ-Centered or Self-Centered?
When the spotlight shifts to self, the cross fades from view. But when Christ is lifted up, the self bows low.
Devotional Credit: Immeasurably More
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Today’s devotional from Immeasurably More exposes a timeless tension in Christian experience: the subtle but deadly shift from Christ-centered ministry to self-centered display. In Acts 8, Simon the sorcerer amazed people with signs, but his heart was centered on himself. The crowd called him “the Great Power of God,” but the spotlight was never on the Lord—it was on Simon.
This isn’t just ancient history. In modern times, personalities in ministry can fall into the same trap: drawing attention to themselves, subtly suggesting they are the gateway to spiritual experience. One tragic example in the devotional recalls a preacher who, after preaching a seemingly sound message, invited people not to Christ, but to trust in his prayers. That moment revealed the root: a message veiled in gospel terminology but anchored in ego.
True Christianity never exalts the messenger. It points exclusively to Jesus Christ as Lord. As Paul declared in 2 Corinthians 4:5, “We do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.” There is only one Mediator, one true access point to the Father: Jesus Himself (1 Timothy 2:5). All other attempts to become the conduit between God and man are counterfeits—no matter how compelling the performance.
This devotional calls us to examine whether our message, tone, and ministry point others directly to Christ—or quietly back to us.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit
I do not dwell in temples made by human admiration. I do not endorse performances that glorify a man. The light of My Son cannot be shared with a spotlight on the flesh. My desire is not that you elevate the messenger, but that you see the Messiah. The power is not in personality. The healing is not in human touch. The truth is not in charisma. It is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
You are not called to impress—only to abide. You are not tasked to attract crowds—only to bear fruit. When you lift your eyes to Jesus, the veil of self-importance falls. You walk as one already seated in Him, hidden with Christ in Me. And in that hiding place, there is no room for boasting—except in the cross.
Guard your gaze. Test every message. If it glorifies man, it cannot be from Me. For My voice will always draw you to the Son, never to another intermediary. You have full access—bold and blood-bought. Speak as one who has no need for applause, only the joy of union.
Walk humbly, proclaim boldly, and let every word point beyond you to the One who lives within you.
Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 4:5; Colossians 1:27; Colossians 3:3; 1 Timothy 2:5; Galatians 6:14
Real-Life Analogy
It’s like watching a movie where the narrator keeps interrupting the scenes to talk about themselves. You came to see the story unfold, but the voice-over won’t let you forget who’s in charge. After a while, it stops being about the story and becomes all about the storyteller. That’s what happens when someone inserts themselves between you and Christ. The gospel isn't meant to be narrated by self—it’s meant to be seen in Jesus.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, thank You that I no longer need a go-between. In Christ, I have direct access to You. I rejoice that no person—no preacher, no priest, no performer—stands between us. You’ve made me Your child, not through someone else's intercession, but through the finished work of Jesus. Keep my heart anchored in Him, my eyes fixed on Him, and my words pointing others only to Him. May I never confuse charisma with calling, or gifting with grace. Thank You that I am fully accepted in the Beloved, and that the life I now live is not mine, but His.