Have you ever wondered or thought about what really is the controlling factor in your life? Have you thought about the foundation for all of your decisions that you make in life? What about how you spend your time, money and resources? The real question is, who is in total control of your life?

This is a question that I began to even ask myself as we have been exploring a series of sermons that I have been preaching at our church.

I believe that everyone operates their life from a base or foundation of beliefs. These beliefs are sometimes very hard to verbalize, if they can be verbalized at all. They are the core of our identity, and if we can explore them they will give us the needed answers to the question of why you are the way you are. They can only be discovered through intense searching and very deep honesty with ourselves.

However, I believe that Jesus knows some things about us that we don't even understand ourselves. Many times we read in scripture how Jesus perceived people's thoughts and knew the intent of the heart. Jesus was privy to this information because He is the Son of God. God certainly knows our hearts - our innermost being - and what makes us tick. Since God knows our innermost being, it is logical that He can prescribe to us the needed information to bring healing to our lives.

Lordship is a concept that is I believe is poorly understood. The concept of lordship was brought forth by Jesus. The word for "Lord" in Greek means "supreme authority or controller." In the time of kings, they were also called lords because they were in supreme authority and control of their kingdoms.

In Luke 6:46, Jesus asked the question, "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?" In essence Jesus is saying, "Why do you call me Lord when you won't be obedient to the things I tell you to do?" A lord has supreme authority and control over his kingdom by definition. Therefore, Jesus was saying, "Don't call me Lord if you won't submit to my authority and control in your life."

Merely using the title "Lord Jesus" and saying He is your Lord doesn't mean it is true. It is useless to proclaim Him as Lord of your life if you won't be obedient to the things He says.

In your heart there is a throne. Whatever or whomever sits on the throne of your heart controls your life. If self is on the throne of the heart, self will dictate every issue of life. If money is on the throne, money will dictate every decision and action in that person's life, and so on. The scripture states in Proverbs 23:7, "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he," and, in Proverbs 4:23, "Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life." Our heart controls and dominates our life. It is the base for all of the issues of life. Jesus wants to sit on the throne of your heart.

When Jesus is truly our Lord, our obedience level is at maximum. When Jesus rules and reigns from the throne of the heart, our lives become His. "Lord" is not just a title for Jesus - it is a lifestyle for us. Two things or people cannot occupy the throne of your heart at the same time. Jesus said, "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).

Properly understood, lordship in a Christian sense means that Jesus has complete and total control of your life. Jesus is Lord of the universe, whether we acknowledge it or not.

The scripture states in Philippians 2:9-11, "Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." But for Him to have control and reign in our lives, we must depose anything that is sitting on the throne of the heart and choose Him as our Lord. God has created us with free will, even after salvation. That is why we must make Him Lord of our lives and then abide under His dominion.

Sadly, not everyone will choose Jesus as Lord and abide under his lordship. They will only profess His title and even do great works for Him, yet they will never really know Him as their Lord. We find this future truth in Matthew 7:21-23, where Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

"Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'

"And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'"

We all need to examine who or what controls our life by learning the lesson of the throne of the heart. If we find Jesus firmly seated in our hearts, then we can be confident that we belong to Him. If we find anything besides Jesus there, we must make a choice to give our entire lives to Him and abide under His lordship.

Why not choose Jesus as your Lord today? It could be the best decision you ever make.

---

Marshall Raney is the pastor of the Lynch Church of God. He can be contacted by e-mail at raneymarshall@aol.com