Last week I talked about the importance of stepping aside to let God take the lead. We talked about the safety and protection of God as we allow him to take his rightful place in front of us as leader. I would like to continue in this vein of thought this week as we look next at the Lordship of Jesus. What does it mean that Jesus is Lord? What does it mean to make him Lord of your life?
There are many schools of thought about servant-hood and son-ship, and they all have their proper place in understanding our identity in him, as we come into greater fellowship and relationship with him.
We are characterized and referred to in scripture as his sheep, disciples, servants, friends, sons/daughters etc...so which is it? It is all of the above. It is important to remember all of who we are to God as he continues to reveal himself to us.
He has revealed himself to us personally in scripture as Father, Brother, Baptizer, Son of God, Son of Man, Comforter, Healer, Deliverer, Savior and soooo much more. Today though I would like to focus in on one of the most important ways we must relate to him and that is as Lord.
Adonai is one of the names of God and one of the ways we are meant to know and relate to him, as it means Lord.
Lord: someone or something having power, authority, or influence; a master or ruler; a name for God or Christ
Isaiah 42:8 “I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idol
As we continue to refocus on God as leader and Lord let us remember that it is in yielding that we give over our rights to his Lordship.
Psalm 100:3 NIV Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
LEARNING TO YIELD BRINGS INCREASE
Letting go of control and learning to yield to him is key in understanding Jesus as Lord. It is such a win-win for us though because of the great exchange that takes place as we surrender. When we yield to him in prayer, he becomes our understanding. When we yield to him in weakness he becomes power and strength to us. We yield to him in making decisions, he becomes our guide. We yield to him in times of despair, he becomes our hope. Letting go of control and yielding is where we give over Lordship to Jesus.
STRENGTH WILL RISE AS WE WAIT
As we yield to him we become strengthened; strengthened with might in our inner man, strengthened in purpose, strengthened in resolving to let him finish what he started in us; and strengthened to do what he has called us to do.
Our strength comes from being in him, not in ourselves; our strength comes from looking to him as our source and, not ourselves.
Isaiah 40:29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Ephesians 3:16,17 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith....
Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
Philippians 1:6 ..being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.
What have you seen God do in your life, and where and how has HE come through for you, causing your faith to arise with greater hope and expectation for more? The bible says we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of OUR testimony. Seeing God do great things for us paints the beautiful picture of who he is to us and the world-for God gave his only Son.... as we see and know him in this light we serve him and give him place as Lord. Taking the time to look at a beauty of his creation in a new born baby or the morning sunrise or evening sundown helps us see his majesty and greatness all the more. These things should cause us to remember his greatness and not our own. In humility and for this reason, as we pause to remember his greatness, we know and see God as the Supreme One and the need for his Lordship in our life.
Many times we lose sight of his Lordship as we DO LIFE on our own without involving or consulting him, and this limits his power to work on our behalf.
We know from scripture that many will call him Lord, but he did not know them.
Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
This is a very alarming verse that we all should examine very carefully. People may claim to call Jesus Lord, but the fruit of a relationship with him is not evident in their lives.
Matthew 7:18-20 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
People who do not have the character or nature of God-do not represent him, because he never sent them. God sends those he chooses and qualifies them.
LORDSHIP INVOLVES WAITING ON GOD
Learning how to wait on God, is one of the hardest things to do but it is a such huge part of understanding his Lordship in our lives.
Isaiah 40:30-21 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.
THE GREATNESS OF OUR GOD
Verses like these reminds us of the greatness of our God and helps us to remember just how big he truly is. It reminds us that he can take care of our biggest obstacles and battles if we but just trust him and give him control.
Isaiah 40:21-26 Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded? He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in. He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing. No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff. “To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.
THIS WEEK
If you have left your place of trusting in God as Lord, you can return today. You can repent from doing things your way and return to trusting in him, and his timing, even when you don't understand his ways.
take time to meditate on the scriptures throughout the blog
take time to repent of anywhere in your life where you took control and left God out
practice waiting and receiving strength
practice letting him be Lord in your life
Love and blessings,
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