In the previous article we looked at the need to dethrone any idols we may have in our lives so that we may give the Lord His rightful place as our ruler. The idols need to be dethroned so that the Lord may be enthroned in our hearts. This concept is seen in Psalm 22:3, Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. This gives us a wonderful picture of the nature of worship. God’s people exalt Him as the Holy One in their praises. He sits enthroned on those praises. It reminds us of another passage in the Psalms where God’s people are encouraged to focus on Him in praise and thanksgiving, Psalm 100:4) Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! As the next verse says, such praise is based upon His character, 5) For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

As Christian believers we need to enthrone Jesus as the Lord and Master of our lives.  Why? Because the Father has highly exalted Him. Paul wrote about that in Philippians 2 verses 8-9,  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name. What should be our response? It should be to worship Him and to declare Him to be Lord of the universe, and our Lord, Phil 2:10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 Paul not only taught those truths but He also prayed that his readers might know and experience those truths personally. Look at how he prayed in his letter to the Ephesian believers. He prays that they might know and experience the greatness of God’s power that He used in raising Jesus from the dead.   But he went on to remind them of the place that Jesus occupies in the sight of God, Eph 1:19 (I want you to know) what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20  that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places. One might think that would be sufficient for his readers to want to exalt Jesus in their own lives. But he adds to that in his prayer. He describes Jesus now being,  21  far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. Jesus is Lord of all, for ever! He rules! In the present and throughout the ages to come!

Paul adds yet another series of concepts in the prayer, 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church. He rules over all. All are subject to Him. God gave the One who is head over all things to be the head of the church.  The church he describes as “the body of Christ”, 23 which is his body. It cannot exist independently of Him.  He indwells and guides and empowers it. The final concept in the prayer stresses that all fulness dwells in Jesus and that He fills all things, the fullness of him who fills all in all. No wonder He is worthy of praise and adoration. Jesus IS Lord but we  need to enthrone Him as Lord in our own lives. He tolerates no rivals.

Summing up, how did you go on the ABCDE we have looked at in these 5 articles?

• Are you willing to Abide in Jesus and in His word?
• Are you willing to Believe, to believe the promises of God and to act on them?

• Are you willing to Consecrate yourself and your body to do the will of God no matter what.

• Are you willing to Dethrone all the idols in your life, no matter how attractive they might be to you?

• Are you willing to Enthrone Jesus as Lord of your life?

If you are willing to do all those things then you are becoming more open to receive what God has for you in His plan and purpose for this world.   Theodore Monod put in a hymn what our response might be. He begins the hymn with the words, Oh, the bitter pain and sorrow, That a time could ever be, When I proudly said to Jesus, “All of self, and none of Thee.” The next verse shows some growth. It has the words, “Some of self, and some of Thee.” Then comes the more mature saying “Less of self, and more of Thee.” The final verse has words that show total commitment, “Higher than the highest heaven, Deeper than the deepest sea, Lord, Thy love at last has conquered: ‘None of self, and all of Thee’.”

My prayer. Lord, may it be so in the lives of all Your people. AMEN.

Blog No.116. Jim Holbeck.  Posted on Thursday 14th March 2013