Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Yesterday Patrick Mahomes won his 3rd Superbowl MVP, tying him with Joe Montana and Tom Brady as the only players to have at least three of the awards. The Superbowl victory, which was won under his calm, cool, unflappable leadership on the game winning drive, solidified him as one of the Greatest quarterbacks Of All Time (GOAT).

This week, the Holy Spirit is inspiring me to honor The true GOAT, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Today’s scripture is the first testimony of Jesus’ greatness, shared in John 1:23‭-‬34 (NLT)…
John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah: “I am a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Clear the way for the Lord’s coming!’” Then the Pharisees who had been sent asked him, “If you aren’t the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?” John told them, “I baptize with water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not recognize. Though his ministry follows mine, I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal.” This encounter took place in Bethany, an area east of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing. The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! He is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’ I did not recognize him as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.”
Then John testified, “I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him. I didn’t know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God.”

Consider…
Today’s scripture isn’t the first time John the Baptist recognized Jesus as Lord, Luke 1:41‭-‬44 (NLT) shares…
At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.

While John was in his mother’s womb, and before Mary could say she was pregnant, the scripture reveals that he had a praise party in the presence of the Lord. The Bible specifically says he leaped for joy in his mother’s womb.

As I read this first encounter of John and Jesus more closely, I notice something else present in John’s proclamation that Jesus is Lord, that’s the presence of the Holy Spirit. The passage says Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and bore witness that Mary was the mother of her Lord! And at the end of today’s scripture we read, the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus’ shoulder as confirmation that He was God’s chosen one!

Lord, Lord, Lord! Why such emphasis on Jesus being Lord? Well, Merriam-Webster dictionary defines Lord as…
1: one having power and authority over others:
a: a ruler by hereditary right or preeminence to whom service and obedience are due.

That means, when you, like Elizabeth, declare Jesus as your Lord, you’re declaring He has power and authority over you. Jesus being Lord, declares His heavenly hereditary and preeminent right to be served and obeyed! In other words, Jesus is large and in charge!

Now that we have a greater appreciation of the significance of the title of Lord, let’s resume reading His adoration. 1 John 5:6‭-‬9 (NLT) brings the tri-dementionial testimonies of Jesus’ greatness all together…
And Jesus Christ was revealed as God’s Son by his baptism in water and by shedding his blood on the cross—not by water only, but by water and blood. And the Spirit, who is truth, confirms it with his testimony. So we have these three witnesses— the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and all three agree. Since we believe human testimony, surely we can believe the greater testimony that comes from God. And God has testified about his Son.

The water’s testimony speaks for the mind, and the shed blood’s testimony speaks for the body, and the Spirit speaks for Himself. You see Jesus lived with a committed mind, sacrificial body and obedient spirit here on earth. That’s how He was the only human who ever lived but never sinned, though tempted like the rest of us (Hebrews 4:15).

As awesome as the Spirit, water baptism, and shed blood all bearing witnesses of Jesus as Lord is, scripture says that’s not even the best testimony. It says the greater testimony came from His Daddy. And what did God the Father say about His Son? Philippians 2:9‭-‬11 (NLT) shares…
Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

That settles it! God the Father said Jesus is Lord Of All, which makes Him the Greatest Of All Time, AND God Over All The earth! 🌍

Today’s song is…
Lord Of All
https://youtu.be/91MKnEXNNR8?si=twdFhaieJwI_MHkc

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)