DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT TUESDAY – WHY CALL ME LORD? Part 1.

God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him. - Andrew Murray.

"Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great." - Luke 6:46-49.

A wife who is 85% faithful to her husband is not faithful at all. There is no such thing as part-time loyalty to Jesus Christ. - Vance Havner.

JUST WHAT DOES IT MEAN... JESUS IS LORD?
The Word "Lord"… By definition is a title of respect, and represents not only power and authority, but also ownership, and absolute submission. Whenever it is used in reference to Christ the word "Lord" may be taken in the most literal and complete sense of the word. He is our Lord! He has all power and authority over us. And as Paul said...

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. - 1Cor 6:19-20.

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. - Phil 2:9-11. Hallelujah! Jesus Christ is Lord!

The Greek word for lord is indeed used in scripture in the sense of master, and as a mere honorary title as in the English Sir. But, on the other hand, it is the translation of Adonai, supreme Lord, an incommunicable name of God, and the substitute for Jehovah, a name the Jews would not pronounce.

It is in this sense that Christ is 'the Lord, the Lord of Lords, the Lord God'; Lord in that sense in which God alone can be Lord--having a dominion of which divine perfection is the only adequate or possible foundation.

This is the reason why no one can call him Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. It is a confession which implies the apprehension of the glory of God as it shines in Him. It is an acknowledgement that He is God manifested in the flesh. Blessed are all who make this acknowledgement with sincerity; for flesh and blood cannot reveal the truth therein confessed, but only the Father who is in heaven. - Charles Hodge.

Have We Done The Same?
Have we set Jesus up as Lord of our lives, and of our families? Is He Lord of our time? Cheque Books? Credit cards? Have we exalted Him as head of the church? Have we lifted Him up that all may see him? I would dare to say He is not our Lord if we have not! If we hold back, or are lukewarm, or ashamed, or too busy with other things, how can we call Him Lord?

It says "...at the name of Jesus every knee should bow," Have we bowed before the Lord? Have we humbled ourself, or do we still reign? Have we submitted before the Lord in all things? Is there anything we would not do or would not give? Have we laid our abilities at His feet? Do we use our talents and skills for the Lord?

How can He really be Lord until we've surrendered all to him? Sometimes we're willing to do big things, but when it comes to something small we refuse; "...and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord," We need to verbally confess Jesus Christ is Lord! Hallelujah!

William Booth walked among the poor, hungry, sick, and lonely people of London, England. The people were crammed into crumbling buildings that were full of rats. They had no jobs. There was no one to help them. Worst of all, there was no one to tell them that Jesus cared. They did not know that Jesus died to be their Saviour and lives again to be their Lord. William Booth told his wife, "I have given myself to work for God among those sick souls."

The work that was begun at that time is today known as the Salvation Army. Years later when someone asked General Booth the secret of his success, he said, "God has had all there was of me to have! From the day I got the poor of London on my heart, and a vision of what Jesus Christ would do for them, I made up my mind that God would have all there was of William Booth. God has had all the adoration of my heart, all the power of my will, and all the influence of my life." – Source unknown.

William Booth gave Jesus complete charge of his life. He made Jesus Lord of all. If we take a stand for Christ verbally, people will hold us accountable to that stand. Maybe that's why we sometimes don't take a stand, because we know our actions don't live up to it. But we must live up to them, if Jesus is our Lord!

Loving Father, Help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to make Jesus Lord of all my life, family, time, finances, and employment. Help me to put into action what I believe and say, that my family, friends, neighbours, workmate and classmates alike, may know, that Jesus Christ is my Lord, and Lord of all! In His wonderful name I pray, Amen!