GOD’S WORD FOR AUGUST 31 ~ ~ Philippians 3:8 ~ ~ “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ”
From “The Power of God’s Names” By Tony Evans
(speaking about acknowledging ADONAI (Jesus) as our master, and we are slaves to Him)
Unfortunately today Jesus has to compete with too many other masters in most of our lives. But Jesus isn’t willing to be one among many. He isn’t willing to be part of your association or club neither is He willing to be relegated to the level of a personal assistant.
“Jesus as Lord” means He is your supreme ruler and master. He calls the shots, and you acknowledge Him in everything you do. The problem is that too many people want a Savior but don’t want a Lord.
The word “confess” means to openly and publicly affirm and declare where you stand on an issue. Aligning yourself underneath Jesus Christ the ADONAI and KYRIOS, includes publicly declaring and demonstrating your commitment to Him.
Jesus declares that your willingness to confess Him becomes the marker of your seriousness about Him. It’s much more than simply believing in God. In fact, Satan believes in God. Aligning yourself underneath the lordship of Christ….putting Him in first place in your live….involves displaying your association with Him in your words and actions.
The less you are a slave to Jesus Christ, the more bound you become to illegitimate strongholds. It’s actually through your surrender to Him that he gives you lasting freedom.
There’s nothing to fear in surrendering to God as your owner. Knowledge of God…through His names and His character…gives you the freedom to fully surrender to His care as your owner. He’s got you covered. He possesses all you need. He has your best interest at heart. He just wants you to confess Him as ADONAI, as Master and Lord.
Now, keep in mind you can’t just say, “Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord,” as if it were a magic word. Confessing ADONAI in your life requires actions that verify His ownership everywhere He leads and directs you.
God gave an instruction to each person we have considered in this chapter. Each one had to do something to demonstrate his trust in God and his surrender to Him as ADONAI.
None of those things were all that comfortable either. Abraham wasn’t comfortable trusting God for a son at age 100. Moses wasn’t comfortable confronting Pharaoh. Gideon certainly wasn’t comfortable sending nearly all his soldiers away as he marched into battle. Yet despite their discomfort, they did what God said because they not only called Him ADONAI, but also surrendered to Him and to His will.
When you don’t surrender to ADONAI, you surrender to chaos. That’s why so many problems appear in life. We seek our own way and our own will. Yet when we surrender to ADONAI, we surrender to the fulfillment of our destiny. So throw up the white flag of surrender to the lordship of Jesus Christ, and you can begin to enjoy being owned by Him.
Charles Spurgeon: “It is not MY joy in Christ—-It is CHRIST.
It is not MY hold on Christ—-It is CHRIST.
It is not MY faith in Christ—- It is CHRIST.
Don’t look at my hand grasping Him…..LOOK AT HIM!