"I Call Him Lord"

"Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost".  1 Corinthians 12:3

I was thinking about a song I haven't heard in a long time.  The chorus says, "And if you can remember ask him what's his name, and if he tells you Jesus just say we're so glad you came.  But tell him you know someone who still calls him Lord, then send him on to me cause that's the man I'm looking' for". 

As I listened to the words, the line that says, "tell Him you know someone who still calls Him Lord", just "jumped" out at me and brought tears to my eyes. 

Does anyone truly call Him "Lord" anymore?  Is He Lord to those who profess to be a Christian?  Is He Lord to those who say they know Him? 

I hear so many people call Him "The Big Guy Upstairs"; their "Homey"; their "Best Bud"; their "Running Buddy"; etc.  Personally, He is my best friend who sticks closer to me than a brother.  He is my Elder Brother.  He is my Confidant.  But He is FIRST my GOD!  He is my Lord!  I still call Him Lord. 

Because He is so personal with us and desires to have a personal intimate relationship with us, calling us His children, we have forgotten the reverence that He is due.  While He is all that to me, He is my Lord.  He is the object of my worship.  He is the Potter and I am the clay-- He can mold and make of me anything He desires.  He commands me.  He gives me my marching orders.  He is the one I submit my will to.  He tells me what to do, not vice versa. 

I praise Him for a close relationship with Him.  I am so thankful that I can approach Him without fear of being "consumed".  I am thankful that He is a God who is near and not far away.  I am so glad I have access to come to Him.  I am so blessed and appreciative to be allowed to be His child.  I am indeed thankful that I can share the deepest secrets of my heart with Him.  But I must never forget that He is first my Lord and not be flippant about that relationship. 

Have a great day.  I still call Jesus Lord!  Because He is!  Do you?   

"The Direction Of Choices"

"I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live".  Deuteronomy 30:19

Life is made up of choices.  Some are simple and don't affect us much-- such as choosing what to eat for lunch.  Others are major and carry lifelong consequences with them.  I want to start with a question this morning.  "Are the choices you're making bringing you closer to the Lord or taking you further away from Him?".

David made the choice to commit adultery with Bathsheba.  It didn't bring him closer to the Lord.  King Saul made the choice to disobey the words of Samuel the prophet.  His choice didn't bring him closer to God.  Mary made the choice to submit to the will of God to give birth to the Messiah.  That choice brought her closer to the Lord.  Adam made a choice to disobey God, and it took him and all of mankind away from God.

The Bible admonishes us to "acknowledge the Lord in all our ways and He would direct our steps".  We are to seek Him in every decision we make, every choice we make, every direction we go and let Him direct us.  When we do, He will always lead us in not only making the right choice, but in making the choice that will bring us closer to Him at the same time.

Have a great day.  Are the choices you are making bringing you closer to the Lord or taking you further away from Him?  

"Present Not Absent"

"... and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen".  Matthew 28:20b

When we go through difficult and trying times in our lives, we should have a confidence that no matter what it is we are facing the Lord will be with us. I believe He is wanting us more and more as the "evil days" approach to be confident and unshaken in our faith that His presence is with us in every situation. 

The presence of trials does not mean the absence of God.  The presence of pain doesn't mean the absence of God.  The presence of financial want doesn't mean the absence of God.  The presence of grief, the passing of a loved one, a bad physical report, the loss of a job, the rebellion of a child, the attack of an enemy does not mean that God is not present with you. 

He is there in the valley of the shadow of death.  He is there in the fiery furnace.  He is there in the lion's den.  He is there when Pharaoh's army is behind you and a Red Sea in front of you.  He is there in the storm.  He is there when all the demons of hell are waging war against you.  Just because you go through these places and situations does not mean that He is not there.  He is not absent.  He is present.   

Have a great day.  The presence of problems does not mean the absence of God.

"The Simple Answer"

"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest".  Matthew 11:28

When we are burdened down by the cares of this life, by problems or by unpleasant circumstances, we tend to run here, there and everywhere looking for answers.  We often miss our true source of help because the answer to the help we need is too "simple"-- "Come unto Me".

Is going to the Lord the first place you turn to for help or the last?  Do you go to Him after you have exhausted every other avenue of help?  Is He at the top of your list for help or the bottom?  Or is He somewhere in the middle? 

The Psalmist said, "I will look unto the hills from where my help comes.  My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth".  (Psalm 121:2) Hebrews tells us, "The Lord is my helper". (Hebrews 13:6)

The Lord is our helper, not only for the big problems or not only for the small problems.  He is our help for all problems.  Whether the problem is a spiritual one, a physical problem, a financial one or a problem with a relationship.  He is our help, our answer and our guide in every problem we face.   

Have a great day.  Got a problem?  There is an answer.  The answer is so simple we often miss it-- Come unto Me.  

"Don't Wait"

"(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)"  2 Corinthians 6:2

There is one thing I have noticed about human nature-- we tend to put things off until the last minute.  I tend to do it myself.  

Many people treat their eternity the same way.  They are waiting until the "last minute" to get things right with God.  Many are waiting until after they have lived their lives and finished doing all the "fun things" they had planned to do before giving their lives to the Lord.  Some are waiting until their "death bed" to do it.  Some are just waiting with the idea that "one day" they will do it. These people are gambling with the state of their eternal souls. 

We can't think that we have plenty of time to get things right with God.  We are not promised tomorrow.  We are not promised the next breath.  We are not promised we will have a "death bed" opportunity.  We are not promised to live to a "ripe old age".  We only have now.  We only have this moment.  We only have this breath. 

Are you waiting?  Are you holding out until you have done all you want to do?  Are you putting God off until you are ready?  If so, you are taking a big chance.  If so, you are on dangerous ground.  If you are you may wind up falling short of eternity.

Have a great day.  Don't wait until the last minute to get right with God.  You aren't promised to have that last minute.