Applications from Sunday's Message...

What can we do now if we are serious about making God the one who guides our life and is the one we find true life in. Here are some ideas:

Scripture for Reflection:

1. John 1, 3, 4, 14-17
2. Matthew 22, 28
3. Genesis 1, 2, 3, 12, 15
4. Deuteronomy 6, 30
5. Psalm 1, 27, 63, 42, 145,
6. Jeremiah 2, 29
7. Isaiah 6, 9, 11, 40, 53, 55, 61
8. Romans 1, 3, 5, 8, 12
9. Acts 1-2, 3, 4
10. 1 Corinthians 1-2, 12-15
11. 2 Corinthians 1, 2, 4, 5
12. Ephesians 1-2
13. Colossians 1-3
14. Philippians 1-2
15. Hebrews 4, 11, 12
16. 1 Peter 1-3

These are some of the most important scriptures to reflect on and see what it says about God and what he desires in us and his world? Of course there are many more we could wrestle with. I am not giving you verse numbers to see if you can find the "meaty" verses, the ones that make you fall to your knees.

Here are some other applications:

1. Pray and read the Bible as a family.
2. Serve another family with your own family. Offer to bring them dinner, baby sit their kids so they can go on a date, shovel their snow, rent them a movie, be creative!!!
3. Fast from TV and have a game night, or a read instead night. TV makes your brain mush:) Or, simply have some good old fashion conversation.
4. Tell someone about Jesus.
5. Invite a person into your home for dinner.
6. Fast from eating out and use the money to bless someone under resourced, or adopt a kid at Compassion International.
8. Throw a party for your coworkers, just to celebrate being alive...
9. Invite a neighbor over for coffee.
10. Fast from food for a meal or two. Use that time to spend with God reading the Bible and prayer.
11. Tell your family that you love them, just because...
12. Send an email or letter to someone who needs to be encouraged.
13. Pray with a random person in a hospital.
14. Visit someone in jail for the purpose of helping them feel loved and not alone.

I know you can all come up with a million more ways to pursue God this year. I hope we all begin to grow in the commitment and dedication to our God, as we saw with Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

Shalom!

Question: what does "Lord of all" mean?

I was answering a question in regards to the place of other religions and mentioned that Jesus is even the "Lord of all" in these religions as well. If people from other faiths believe in Jesus they will be with him forever.

There can only be one true God. From the beginning to the end of Scripture you see God making this claim, that he is the Lord, and will not give his glory to another. "The" God revealed in Jesus in not one option among many other good options.

"Lord" was a bold statement made in Philippians 2:6-11, and many other places, by Paul. Paul came to realize that by Jesus coming to earth, giving up his rights as God, and serving humanity through the Cross makes him the one true "Lord" of heaven and earth.

"Lord" was always a loaded term. In Jesus' day it had political meaning. The ruler of Rome would be called the "Lord" of the universe and even was considered a divine being to be worshipped. When Jesus makes claims of being "Lord" and then you see his followers making this claim later in the NT, it meant that God was Lord and Cesar was not. It meant that God had claim of the entire world, our lives, and the rulers or governments of the day did not.

So when we make this bold claim that Jesus is Lord, it means no other idol, world religion, government, world leader, system of thinking, has claim on us, only Jesus, the one true Lord. One day the entire world will bow, even if they don't believe in the Messiah Jesus, and claim him as the one true God. Hope that helps.