There are many names of Jesus, but there is only one name we call him that saves our soul. Do you know that name? He’s not just our friend, he’s not just the lamb, he’s not just our teacher, he’s not just the Prince of Peace or the Bread of Life. He’s our LORD. When Jesus is our Lord, then everything changes.

Paul writes in Romans 10:9, “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” It’s that simple and that specific. Jesus must be your Lord.

If you don’t let Jesus be your Lord, then God will let you be your lord. And let me tell you, you make a terrible lord over your own life. Do you know why? Because you don’t know best. You don’t see everything. You simply cannot guide and direct your life down the best path because you were never equipped to do that on your own. You were designed to need God. Without him, you simply cannot live a good, fulfilling and purposeful life.

What does it look like to make Jesus the Lord of your life?

In Biblical times, calling someone Lord signified a recognition of their power, of their authority, of their high status as master or ruler. ‘Lord’ meant, you are over me and I am under you. Think of the word ‘landlord’ which we use today. This is someone who owns the house that we’re temporarily renting from them. It’s theirs, not ours. We follow their rules, or we’re out. We agree to their terms, not the other way around. They are the land-lord and they have authority over their land.

Now, declaring Jesus is Lord is recognizing him as the supreme authority and highest position. He is above absolutely everything. He alone holds all power because everything belongs to him. If Jesus is your Lord, then you are under his authority and you’ve pledged your allegiance to him. He is the one you seek to honor. He is your master and you are his servant.

Easy enough – right?

But have you really given him that place? Is he really the one you seek above all else? Is he really your master? Does he really get the best of you, or does he get your leftovers? Does he take first place, or does he take back burner? Is he your first choice, or is he your last resort? If he is the Lord of your life, then everything you do comes from a place of serving him, honoring him, and seeking him.

Do I have any recovering people pleasers listening today? You’ve spent the majority of your life trying to make everyone happy. You so desperately want them to like you that you will sacrifice everything else along the way. It’s hard to let Jesus be Lord if you’re so busy trying to make everyone else happy. In fact, Paul, the same man who wrote the book of Romans, tells us in Galatians 1:10 , “I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.”

You cannot always please people and God at the same time. Pleasing people cannot be your goal. Having everyone like you cannot be your objective. So who will be your priority? Really, who will get your time today? Who will get your attention today? Who will you serve first?

Do you have time set aside for God? Time to study his word and talk to him? Oh I hope so, because my sister, that is the only way you will truly grow.

Let’s say during your time with God, someone walks into the room and asks for your help. What do you do? Who do you please? Ahhhhh, man, that’s tough, isn’t it?

You know what I wish so badly I would have taught my children when they were little? I wish I would have taught them when Mama is on her knees that you can either join her or leave her alone, but you’re not going to pull her away. I wish I would have taught them that Mama’s time to read her Bible is more important than any other time of the day. That it’s sacred. That it’s set apart. That it’s vital. That it will be protected. I didn’t do that.

If you still have children at home, don’t miss this opportunity to show your children what it means to make Jesus the Lord of your life. To this day I struggle to understand what that looks like because I’ve never seen anyone actually live it. I didn’t have that example, nor did I set that example. I pray you younger Mamas do it better than I did.

But today, I still have the opportunity to prioritize my time with God. What happens when a text comes in during my time with Jesus? What happens when an appointment is scheduled in my appointed time with God? Who will I make happy? Who will get the best of me?

Openly declaring Jesus is Lord and believing in your heart that God raised him from the dead is what saves our soul. It’s more than just words, it’s a total devotion of life. If Jesus is Lord, then he gets everything. If Jesus is Lord, he is my master. If Jesus is Lord, he is first and everything else comes after him. If Jesus is Lord, I will obey him and trust him.

Jesus is Lord over my feelings. Honestly, what gets in my way more than anything else are my feelings. My feelings will talk me out of doing what the Holy Spirit has prompted me to do. My feelings will dismiss me, hold me back, and cause me to miss aligned opportunities. Honestly, sometimes I just don’t want to do what I know I should do. My feelings tell me I’m too tired, or I’m too busy, or I’m too ordinary. And then again, sometimes my feelings tell me I want what I want right now and I’m willing to sacrifice a little off the corners to get it. That’s what leaves me settling. That’s also what creates massive messes.

My feelings make a terrible lord.

But understand that’s precisely the position you put your feelings in when you start obeying them. When your feelings become the master of your daily choices, that means Jesus is no longer sitting on that throne. You can’t have two lords.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:24 , “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other.” Who or what gets top place in your life? Someone will be master. Something will be a priority. If it’s not Jesus, there’s a problem.

It just looks so sweet to make everyone else your priority. Those people pleasers are so wonderful to be around, aren’t they? Gosh, they’re nice and they’re always making sure you’re so well taken care of. Except for the fact that JESUS IS NOT PLEASED. Jesus has been denied his place. Ouch, that’s the truth.

Stop trying to please people. That’s not what you’re created for.

It’s also quite popular today to allow your feelings to become the most vital part of your being. Stop focusing on your feelings. Your feelings are crowding out the throne.

Give Jesus his place. He is Lord.

He is El Shadi, Lord Almighty.

He is El Elyon, the Most High God.

He is Adoni, the Lord Master. I will serve only him.

He is Yahweh, the Lord Jehovah. He alone holds creation.

He is Jehovah Nissi, the Lord your Banner. He alone brings victory.

He is Jehovah Raah, the Lord your Shepherd. He alone will guide me.

He is Jehovah Raphan, the Lord that Heals. He alone brings healing.

He is Jehovah Jireh, the Lord who Provides. He alone provides for me.

He is Jehovah Shalom, the Lord of Peace. He alone fills me with unspeakable peace.

He is Lord. Let your mouth declare it and your life affirm it.

He alone is the priority.

His place will be protected.

His time will be set apart.

His throne will not be overtaken.

He is Master.

He is my Lord, God Almighty!

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