If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9 NIV).
On a radio tower in the heart of Kinship Christian Radio’s listenership area, giant red letters proclaim JESUS IS LORD.
Those three words convey so much meaning and have so much power, it’s difficult to put it on the page.
Of course, they mean that Jesus is God.
They mean that Jesus is the Lord of all creation. Jesus, who was in the beginning with God. The very Word of God through whom and by whom and for all things were made. In whom was the life of all mankind who is and was and always will be the light of all mankind. He is the light the darkness can never overcome and the light that does and will light up heaven for all eternity. (John 1: 1-5)
That Jesus.
That Lord.
And that very Lord, who created the universe and everything in it, took on human flesh, came to this earth, walked among us, and let us torture and kill Him.
So that we would be saved.
It means that when we say, “Jesus is Lord” we have put Jesus in His rightful position in our lives as Lord and Master of all we are. It means that we owe not just our lives to Him, but our very souls.
It means there is no higher power, no greater force in all the universe than the God who humbled himself and took the punishment we deserved.
It means that we have stopped living for ourselves and we have devoted the lives He gave us, even our everlasting souls, not to ourselves and the pursuit of earthly pleasures, but to an eternity of praise and devotion to Him and Him alone.
Saying “Jesus is Lord” is not the secret password to a lifetime of health and wealth and little smiley-face emoticons. Indeed, claiming Jesus is Lord could get you persecuted, tortured, or even killed. In fact, the Bible guarantees that bad things will happen to you when you claim Jesus as Lord.
So, in a world that’s all about the gratification, the pleasure, even the worship of “self,” are we nuts?
In a word, “Yes.”
If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. (John 15:19 NIV)
As we see the events of the world unfolding around us we are tempted to think that Jesus is not Lord of this earth.
We are tempted to believe the enemy of our souls is winning, but I tell you the truth, JESUS IS LORD!
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NIV)
He has overcome the world!
If you are tempted in any way, whether it be to despair, to sin, to lose heart or faith in any way, speak those words out loud.
Jesus is Lord!
Do not be afraid.
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2: 9-11 NIV)
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2: 9-11 NIV)
That says every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord—including the knees and the tongues of the enemies of Jesus!
There is protection, there is guidance, there is joy, there is peace, and there is power in those words!
So speak them without fear. Shout them out loud!
JESUS IS LORD!
Amen!
Today’s Praise
Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:3 NIV