“God, did anything good come out of this?” I cried out to God after my first manic episode where I made foolish decisions. In response, God reminded me of the two people that I led to Christ. He also reminded me of the decision I made to be baptized as an adult. Although baptized as an infant, I realized the need to be baptized. During the baptism, I made Jesus Christ Lord of my life. I had accepted Him as Savior when I was 8. However, I did my own thing for many years. However, after the baptism, I looked to Jesus as Lord. I thanked God for reminding me of how He can bring good out of anything, including a manic episode.
MEMORY VERSE
“And every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:ll, NIV).
WHAT’S IN A WORD?
Lord…
Lord is “God…Jesus Christ” (Webster’s New World College Dictionary). It is “one having power and authority over others…God…Jesus” (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary). “From the outset of His ministry this was a common form of address to the Lord Jesus, alike by the people…and by His disciples” (Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words).
HIDDEN GEMS
Like myself, we may have accepted Jesus as our Savior. We believed He died for our sins. However, we may still have desired to do our own thing. We can turn to Christ and surrender all things. This will make Him first place in our lives as we declare Him Lord over our lives.
“When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:17-18, NIV).
Read Matthew 28:17-18. What did the eleven disciples do when they saw Jesus?
What did some do?
What has been given to Jesus?
Doubt can still creep into our minds from time to time. This can lead to anxiety. However, when we realize that Christ has all authority, we can turn to Him for His security and peace.
“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him’” (John 14:6-7, NIV).
Read John 14:6-7. By what three things does Jesus describe Himself?
How does one come to the Father?
How does one know the Father?
Jesus is indeed the way and the truth and the life. We can rest secure in knowing that we also know the Father by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We can find His peace that passes all understanding when we make Jesus Lord of our lives.
“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…for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’” (Romans 10:9, 13, NIV).
Read Romans 10:9, 13. What do we need to declare with our mouth to be saved?
What do we need to believe in our heart?
Who will be saved?
Jesus is indeed Lord of our lives. When we declare this and believe it in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved. We will be set free from sin and death.
YOUR HEART’S DESIRE
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6, NIV). We come to Jesus by faith. He becomes our Savior. It may be later that we truly surrender all that we are and make Him Lord of our lives.
Describe the time when you accepted Christ as your Savior.
What age were you?
How did you feel?
What age did you make Him Lord of your life?
How did this strengthen your relationship with God?
Jesus Christ is indeed Lord over all things. We can worship and adore Him for all that He has done for us, including dying for our sins. We can praise His holy name for His presence in our lives as we make Him Lord over all our lives.
PRAYER
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son to die for my sins. As I have accepted Him as Savior, I have chosen to make Him Lord over my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
NUGGETS OF WISDOM
He values not Christ at all who does not value Christ above all. Augustine of Hippo
The Lord who vacated his tomb has not vacated his throne. G.R. Beasley-Murray
Christ is either both Savior and Lord, or he is neither Savior nor Lord. John R. Dewitt
Seek Christ, and you will find him, and with him everything else thrown in. C.S. Lewis
Christ is either Lord of all or he is not Lord at all. J. Hudson Taylor
Inner Beauty Bible Study 