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

Let’s continue our reverence journey with acknowledging Christ is Lord.

Today’s scripture, Colossians 1:15-17 (NLT) declares…
[15] Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, [16] for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. [17] He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.

Consider…
A funny thing happened to my youngest son years ago, a childhood neighbor of mine, who had never seen him before, told him that he was the ‘spitting image of me’. What made this even more amazing, was the fact that I wasn’t around when this happened.

This makes me think of John 14:9-11 (NLT), where…
[9] Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? [10] Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. [11] Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do.

Jesus the Son, is the spitting image of God the Father!

Yet, Jesus is so much more than a mirror image of our Heavenly Father, He is God with Him. John 1:1-4, 14 (NLT) attests…
[1] In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] He existed in the beginning with God. [3] God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. [4] The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.
[14] So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

And Jesus declares in John 10:30 (NIV)…
[30] I and the Father are one.”

This brings up a critical distinction and confirmation. Jesus is not the Father, but He is God with the Father. See illustration below

The Apostle Paul describes this unique composition of God in 1 Corinthians 8:6 (NLT)…
[6] But for us, There is one God, the Father, by whom all things were created, and for whom we live. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created, and through whom we live.

Everything was created, and lives, by the Father through Jesus Christ the Son!

This is important to understand, because it affirms what Jesus said in John 14:6-7 (NIV)…
[6] …“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. [7] If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

This makes me think of a popular clothing brand, FUBU, which is For Us By Us. The Holy Spirit just alerted me that the brand was trademarked by God before any man was made. He then entered into evidence exhibits…

• A: Genesis 1:26 NIV…[26] Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness…
• B: Hebrews 1:2 NLT…[2] And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe.

Everything was made…

• for God
• by God
• through God

That’s a good way to see our lives…

• for God
• by God
• through God

When the Holy Spirit led me to Hebrews 1 for evidence in His trademark infringement case, He also emphasized Christ’s Godness. Hebrews 1:3-6 (NLT) explains…
[3] The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. [4] This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is greater than their names. [5] For God never said to any angel what he said to Jesus: “You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.” God also said, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son.” [6] And when he brought his supreme Son into the world, God said, “Let all of God’s angels worship him.”

God told the angels to worship Jesus!

This pressed play on Ron Kenoly singing…

… Make a joyful noise all ye people
Sing a song to the Lord
Of His goodness and His mercy
Of His faithfulness and love

… Make a joyful noise all ye people
(Sing a song) sing a song to the Lord
(Of His goodness) of His goodness and His mercy
(Of His faithfulness) of His faithfulness and love

… worship the Lord
(Oh) let’s praise His holy name
Worship the Lord
Let’s magnify His name
(Come on and) worship the Lord
(Oh) let’s praise His holy name
Worship the Lord
Let’s magnify His name

As we focus on magnifying the Lord’s name with brother Kenoly, we must remember Philippians 2:9-11 (NLT) explains…
[9] Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, [10] that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, [11] and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus is Lord!

As I wrote that I heard Andrae Crouch singing…

Every knee shall bow
Every tongue confess
That Jesus is Lord
That Jesus is Lord

Jesus is Lord

Bow, bow
Bow, bow
Bow down

Everybody’s gonna know it

I’ll admit, one of my favorite identifiers of Jesus is Friend (John 15:13-15), but I must never forget that He’s my Lord.

And who among us aren’t grateful to call Jesus our Savior (Luke 2:11-12), but we must never forget that He must be our Lord!

You see, Romans 10:9-10 (NLT) unequivocally states…
[9] If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. [10] 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.

Jesus must be declared as Lord, to be saved!

That makes me hear Peter in Acts 4:11-12 (NIV) sayi…
[11] Jesus is “ ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ [12] Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

Perhaps Oxford Languages’ definition of Lord will help us better appreciate the significance of that declaration. It says that Lord is someone or something having power, authority, or influence; a master or ruler.

Declaring Jesus as Lord is acknowledging He has…

• power
• authority
• influence

And is…

• master
• ruler

…of our lives.

Because Jesus is Lord we must always be mindful and careful to give Him the reverence due Him!

Also, because Jesus is the I AM God (John 8:58) and LORD (Psalm 22:27-28), we must always be mindful and careful to give Him the reverence due Him!

Take time today to reverently tell Christ You are Lord of all, including me, today!

Today’s song is…
You Are Lord Of All

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)