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

Today let’s answer Jesus’ question of who we think He is.

Today’s scripture, Matthew 16:13‭-‬16 (NLT), shares…
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Consider…
Names, titles, and nicknames reveal relationships with people. For example:

• My name is Anthony
• My nicknames include Tony & Lil T
• My titles include, husband, father, dad, brother, friend, etc.

I am one person with multiple personas based on my relationships, reflected in the titles, to different people in my life.

Today’s scripture is a familiar one. In it Peter declares Jesus as the Messiah, which means the promised “anointed one” or Christ ; the Savior. He also declared Jesus as the Son of the living God. Putting both declarations together, we see that Jesus Christ, Son of God, is our promised salvation.

Romans 3:21‭-‬24 (NLT) explains…
But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.

God says Jesus is the one who makes us right with Him! And because of Jesus, we’re delivered from the penalty of Sin.

So first and foremost, Jesus Christ is the Messiah, Son of the living God!

Today’s scripture proceeds the famous…
Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. – Matthew 16:18 NLT

Recently the Holy Spirit enlightened my understanding that the foundational rock Jesus built His church on wasn’t men themselves, but their confession of who He is! The Holy Spirit revealed this by having me read Romans 10:9‭-‬10 (NLT), which explains…
If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.

You see Jesus’ church is His body. Ephesians 1:22‭-‬23 (NLT) explains…
God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.

The emphasis is that Christ is the head of His body, and if we are Christians, that means He must be the head of our lives.

Understanding that Christ is the head of your life is vital, because scientifically we know that the brain tells every part of the body how to function and fulfill it’s predefined purpose. Are you functioning like Christ tells you to? If not, who do you say He is?

The Holy Spirit also showed me a title upgrade that comes from knowing Jesus as Lord, which is being able to call God our Father. Galatians 3:26 (NLT) explains…
For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

And Romans 8:15‭-‬19 (NLT) shares what that means. It says…
So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.

Wow! We are joint heirs with Christ! And our Daddy is going to let the world know we’re His children. My spiritual imagination runs me to Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, when God declared Jesus was His Son. Mark 9:7‭-‬8 (NLT) shared…
Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to him.” Suddenly, when they looked around, Moses and Elijah were gone, and they saw only Jesus with them.

Imagine in the future, God declaring to all of creation about you, “This is my dearly loved Child.”

Being God’s child, also means Jesus is our brother. In fact Romans 8:29 (NLT) reveals…
For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

I don’t know about you, but I like knowing Jesus as my big brother! That’s because, big brothers typically have your back, and help you successfully navigate with your parents. They try to help avoid the pitfalls that challenged them. That sounds like Jesus, when He said…
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33 NLT

The Holy Spirit also guided me to Hebrews 2:16‭-‬18 (NLT), which explains…
We also know that the Son did not come to help angels; he came to help the descendants of Abraham. Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.

When you’re being tested, call on your big brother Jesus for help.

Yet another title upgrade we experience when knowing Jesus as Lord is friend. Two of my favorite scriptures are…

John 15:13‭-‬15 (NLT) where Jesus said…
There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.

And Romans 5:10 (NLT)
which affirms…
For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.

My relationship with Jesus fortified when I saw Him as my friend. Knowing that I can share everything with Him, and that He has shared everything with me inspired me to want to grow closer to Him. Think about it, we grow up with our family, but get to know our friends.

Also Proverbs 17:17 (ERV) advises…
A friend loves you all the time, but a brother was born to help in times of trouble.

My friend Jesus always loves me, and my brother Jesus helps me when I’m tested.

You see, Jesus is everything to me. Everything includes…

• My Lord
• My Savior
• My Deliverer
• My Hope
• My Help
• My Joy
• My Big Brother
• My Friend
• My God

Today take some time to reflect on all of who Jesus is to you.

How you see Jesus influences how you interact with God.

Today’s song is…
Everything

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)