Barnabas Bulletins

 

 A Monthly Ministry Of Encouragement

 

Barnabas Bulletin ~ 0118 

IS JESUS CHRIST THE LORD OF YOUR LIFE? 

We are living in challenging times. Christians everywhere are coming under all kinds of subtle attacks ~ yet at the same time the Holy Spirit is working in very powerful ways. If we really do desire to live as an overcomer day by day, and walking in the joy of the Lord, then it is vital that we personally know Jesus as the Lord of our life. That means that Jesus is “Number One” in our life! For that is what “Lord” means: “principal, ruler, having dominion over.” So many of life’s problems and battles would not be such a discouragement and disappointment to us if we really knew Jesus as the LORD of our life. His Lordship has to be built on a love relationship, where we love to serve Him, we love to obey what He asks of us, etc. If we really believe He is “the way the truth and the life” (John 14:6), then we will willingly submit to His Lordship over us. Jesus is not a hard taskmaster, and He never asks anything of us that we are unable to do. He wants only the very best for us, but it takes “a laying down of self” on our part in order to discover how powerful His Lordship really is. He has promised to never ever leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), so let us be those people who are prepared and willing to lay everything at His feet in order that we “may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).

When Jesus Christ is Lord of our life, then we discover His plans and purposes for us like we have never known before. He has a specific purpose for every one who He calls, saves and fills with His Holy Spirit. We are His special people. He no longer calls us servants but His friends. And He delights to share what He hears from His Father with us! (John 15:15-17). To think that God delights in us is quite mind boggling. But that is the truth.

When Jesus Christ is Lord of our life, then we are made strong to overcome all the obstacles that we face as we walk with Him through this earthly life ~ and you can guarantee that there will be many. The world does not understand those who have this relationship with Jesus, and will oppose and persecute us accordingly. But “Greater is He Who is in us than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). Praise the Lord! He watches over us, His wonders to perform. I can personally testify to the keeping power of God. I have experienced false accusations, being lost at sea twice; survived three death contracts on my life; have continued on in ministry for Jesus when others have tried to close us down, etc. If we can come through these “obstacles” in life with the right attitude, then we can step into even greater things in God! When we will yield those obstacles over to Him, God delights to use our “stumbling-blocks” as His “stepping-stones” and reveal His glory in the process.

When Jesus Christ is Lord of our life, then we will not blame others for why we are like we are, etc. We will realize that we are responsible for our own decisions and walk through life and, living this way, we will accomplish far greater things than making excuses as to why we are not what we should be, etc. I have learned that as long as I have an excuse then I will not obey God. When God speaks, and we make excuses, then we are really telling Him that we know better than He does (and that demonstrates that He is not Lord of our lives). When God speaks, it is always for our benefit. He speaks to us to inspire our love and faith to another level so we can see and experience those spiritual desires that are now in our hearts. So, let us be finished with excuses and be willing to do whatever He asks us.

If Jesus Christ is not Lord of your life right now, why not stop and invite Him to take His rightful place in you. He gave Himself totally for you ~ why not give yourself totally to Him? You cannot afford to let any other person or thing come between you and your relationship with Jesus Christ. Give Him every hurt and failure of the past, ask His forgiveness, then please forgive yourself (that is important). Talk to Him in your own words and tell Him openly and honestly where you are at. Lay them all on His altar, knowing that He died to set you free from all those things. Then He rose again to give you that new life that makes Christianity different to all other belief systems! He did it because of His love for you and for me. Give all of you to JESUS today and make Him LORD of your life. If He is not Lord of all, then He is not Lord at all! You will never regret making Jesus LORD of your life. God Bless you ~ Rodney W. Francis.

Bible  Readings:  

Luke 8:4-15 (consider the parable of the Sower);

John 20:24-29 (do not be a doubting Thomas);

John 20:15-19 (the challenge to John).

Please Pray This Prayer:

“Dear God, I come to You in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and I ask You to help me to be really serious about Jesus Christ being Lord of my life, so that I may live for and with Him day by day. Let my love for You grow more and more so that Your claims on my life will be a joy rather than a duty. I ask You to stir me, and liberate me, to be able to be the man/woman of God You have called me to be. Help me to clearly listen to You, L ord Jesus, so that I may distinctly discern Your divine will and purposes. I really do want to be an effective and fruitful minister of Your Supernatural Gospel in my day and generation. In Jesus' name, I pray these things. Amen."

 The Gospel Faith Messenger Ministry,  New Zealand. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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"The Gospel Faith Messenger" Ministry.  New Zealand.  Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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