Without music, life would be a mistake.
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Psalm 107:1-3 (ESV)
Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. -
One of the best ways to celebrate with our loved ones is by gathering together and vocalizing our appreciation for one another. Studies show that practicing gratitude regularly can make us happier by increasing our mental health, enhancing positive emotions, boosting our self-esteem, and reducing negativity. Although the holidays are meant for reflection, we all might benefit from the happiness that gratitude can bring if we practice it every day.
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Generally speaking, a lord is someone with authority, control, or power over others; to say that someone is โlordโ is to consider that person a master or ruler of some kind. In Jesusโ day the word lord was often used as a title of respect toward earthly authorities; when the leper called Jesus โLordโ in Matthew 8:2, he was showing Jesus respect as a healer and teacher (see also Matthew 8:25 and 15:25).
However, after the resurrection, the title โLord,โ as applied to Jesus, became much more than a title of honor or respect. Saying, โJesus is Lord,โ became a way of declaring Jesusโ deity. It began with Thomasโ exclamation when Jesus appeared to the disciples after His resurrection: โThomas said to him, โMy Lord and my God!โโ (John 20:28). From then on, the apostlesโ message was that Jesus is Lord, meaning โJesus is God.โ Peterโs sermon on the Day of Pentecost contained that theme: โLet all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiahโ (Acts 2:36). Later, in Corneliusโs house, Peter declared that Jesus is โLord of allโ (Acts 10:36). Note how in Romans 10:9 Jesusโ lordship is linked to His resurrection: โIf you declare with your mouth, โJesus is Lord,โ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.โ
The statement โJesus is Lordโ means that Jesus is God. Jesus has โall authority in heaven and on earthโ (Matthew 28:18). He is Lord of the Sabbath (Luke 6:5). He is โour only Sovereign and Lordโ (Jude 1:4). He is, in fact, the Lord of lords (Revelation 17:14).
Jesus referred to Himself as โLordโ many times (e.g., Luke 19:31; John 13:13). And when we compare the Old Testament with the New, we find several times when the โLORDโ (Yahweh) of the Hebrew Bible is equated with the โLord Jesusโ by the apostles. For example, Psalm 34:8 says, โTaste and see that the LORD is good,โ and that passage is alluded to in 1 Peter 2:3, except there Jesus is the โLordโ who is good. Isaiah 8:13 says that โthe LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holyโ; in 1 Peter 3:15 we are commanded, โIn your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holyโ (ESV).
Amazingly, the Lord Jesus left His exalted position in heaven and came to earth to save us. In His Incarnation, He showed us what true meekness looks like (see Matthew 11:29). Just before His arrest, Jesus used His power and authority to teach us humility: โNow that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one anotherโs feetโ (John 13:14). The last will be first, according to our Lord (Matthew 19:30).
In saying, โJesus is Lord,โ we commit ourselves to obey Him. Jesus asked, โWhy do you call me, โLord, Lord,โ and do not do what I say?โ (Luke 6:46). An acknowledgement of Jesusโ lordship is logically accompanied by a submission to Jesusโ authority. If Jesus is Lord, then He owns us; He has the right to tell us what to do.
A person who says, โJesus is Lord,โ with a full understanding of what that means (Jesus is God and has supreme authority over all things) has been divinely enlightened: โNo one can say, โJesus is Lord,โ except by the Holy Spiritโ (1 Corinthians 12:3). Faith in the Lord Jesus is required for salvation (Acts 16:31).
Jesus is Lord. Itโs the truth, whether or not people acknowledge the fact. He is more than the Messiah, more than the Savior; He is the Lord of all. Someday, all will submit to that truth: โGod exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Fatherโ (Philippians 2:9โ11). -
When I saw that everyone was baking bread, I tried it out myself. First, I made rolls, which proved to be way harder than they looked. Then, I tried beer bread, which tasted good but looked like a lumpy brick.
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For God so loved the world that He gave his begotten Son.
John 3:16
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It’s only when you understand who you are, not who the world thinks you are, that you’re ready to lead. Knowing who you are, requires an accurate understanding of your strengths, weaknesses, values, beliefs, motivations, and desires. Developing these personal insights provides the foundation of all successful leaders.