north_star

The North Star of Our Faith, by Randall D. Kittle

In a vision, I saw Jesus as a blinding light that became the North Star. Then I heard a voice proclaim, “Behold, the bright and Morningstar, the North Star of your faith.”

Jesus is the North Star of Heaven — the lodestar of all mankind! His life and death are the central point of time and history! The North Star does not rise nor fall. It is fixed in the heavens, and all the other stars revolve around it. And so it is in heaven for Jesus. Philippians 2:9–11 tells us, “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

The Center of Attraction
The English form of the Greek name for the North Star is “Cynosure,” which means: “center of attraction.” Yes, Jesus should be the One who is the center of attraction for the Church. He is the One who should be in the limelight. Everything should be pointing to Jesus who is on the center stage of our services. When He is the central attraction, He will draw all people, and He will be free to let His glory fall, for He won’t have to share His glory with another, because everything is about Him.

The face of Christianity is changing in this generation … and it is changing from the face of men to the face of Jesus. God is calling for the Church to be a one-man show, and the man He has chosen is that glorious God-man, Christ Jesus! The Church is changing from a believer-centered church — where Jesus assists us in meeting people’s needs, to a Jesus-centered church — where we see what Jesus is doing and join with Him.

Fixed Upon Jesus
From ancient days, the North Star has been the light from heaven that guided man on his journeys! If we want to successfully navigate our journey on this earth, we, like the early church, must have our lives fixed upon Jesus. “Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus” (Hebrews 3:1). Hebrews 12:2 goes on to say, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith.” We are secure in fixing our sight upon Jesus because He is unchanging! “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever!” (Hebrews 13:8).

To have our eyes and mind fixed on Jesus is to be “practicing His presence” all throughout the day. It seems strange that we are able to think about a new electronic gadget, a football game, or an upcoming vacation while we work, drive, eat, etc., but we don’t seem to be able to “fix our thoughts on Jesus” because, after all, we have to work and take care of our homes.

Do you talk with Jesus throughout the day? As you’re driving, as you work, at lunch, all the time? I can tell you that when I first dated my wife I didn’t find it difficult to think about her every moment of the day. I never forgot to call her or meet her after her classes, because I was so captivated by her.

That’s what you and I need … to be so in love with Jesus that He is with us all the time and we can’t get Him off our minds. It is time for Jesus to truly be on the central throne of our hearts. When He is, everything else will fall into place. Let us choose to fix our hearts and hopes upon Jesus and make Him the center focus of our lives. If we will, He will not only direct us daily, we will also be changed more into His likeness, for the Bible has promised, “… we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).