LIVING FOR GOD: LORD

Our elders have chosen “Living For God” as a theme for 2010. This is more than a catchy phrase, but should be a description for the life of every child of God. Paul reminds the Roman Christians, “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?” (Romans 6:16). Jesus tells his listeners, 24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24). You do not have a choice of whether or not you will be a servant; you have a choice of whose servant you will be. You do not have a choice of whether or not you will have a master; you have a choice of who will be your master. You are either living for God or living for Satan. There is no neutral territory or middle ground. You cannot straddle the fence. I would like to suggest to you six principles to keep in mind as you face 2010 and living for God.
Lord
Imitation
Vigilant
Influence
Not ashamed
Growing

These ideas will direct our thoughts in these articles for the next few weeks in discussing how we can be “Living For God” in the coming year.

LORD
Vine says of kurios (the Greek word for Lord) that it is used of an owner or one who has the disposal of anything, a master one to whom service is due, an Emperor or King. He also states that it is the New Testament representative of Jehovah (Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words). Webster says “a person who has dominion over others (Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language). In his sermon on Pentecost, Peter stated, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36). There is a sense in which the word is used as a name or title for God. There is also the sense in which it is used as described by Vine and Webster. It is this usage that I want us to consider.

One thing that is absolutely necessary to begin living for God is to establish Jesus Christ as Lord of your life. You will never be successful until you give up your will for His will, your way for His way, your life for His life. Jesus makes self-denial a condition of discipleship in Matthew 16:24. In John 4:34, Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.” Many other times in His ministry He said similar things indicating that His purpose was to submit His will to the Father’s will. We must be willing to do the same. We need to lose ourselves and our wills to the point that we are able to say with Paul, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

Do you want to live for God? Begin now by making Jesus the Lord and Ruler of your life.
--Lamar