Mark Conner Relationships

The Power of Partnership

Partnership_2Wisdom tell us that "… two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed" (Ecc.4:9).

Life is about partnering with other people – family, friends, work associates, and partners in ministry. An effective partnership doesn’t just happen. Like any relationship, it takes time and effort by both people in the partnership.

Here are four things that are essential for an effective work partnership:

1. Develop a good relationship. Your working relationship is very important. The better the relationship, the better you will work together. Make the time and effort to get to know each other and to understand how each person thinks and feels. Take an interest in them as a person.

2. Communicate well. Every relationship is developed, maintained, and enhanced through communication. Communication involves both speaking and listening. Other people can’t read your mind. Share what you think and feel, as well as what you want done and how you want it done. Assume nothing. Be clear. Clarify expectations. Make time to talk together, especially when develop a new relationship.

3. Encourage each other. Be grateful (say ‘thank you’ often!), show appreciation, and acknowledge effort. Affirm what the other person is doing right.

4. Give constructive feedback. Everyone wants to do well at their work. If something is not as you want it, say so. Learn to ‘speak the truth in love’. Be open to feedback from other people. They see things you don’t. Their perspective is vital. Listen to them. In addition, raise and deal with issues quickly. Don’t let them fester.

5. Realise the importance of confidentiality. Know what should be said in what context. Use discretion. Be trustworthy with private information. Give people enough information so they can do their job well, without feeling like they are in the ‘dark’.

The power of partnership is worth the effort!

Mark Conner Humour

Church – The Safest Place To Be

Did you know that being part of a church gathering is the safest place to be!

Statistics tell us:

1. Do NOT ride in automobiles: they cause 20% of all fatal accidents.

2. Do NOT travel by air, rail, or water: 16% of all accidents happen on these.

3. Do NOT walk on the streets or sidewalks: 14% of all accidents happen to pedestrians.

4. Do NOT stay home: 17% of all accidents occur in the home.

5. Only .001% of all deaths occur in worship services in church, and these are related to previous physical disorders.

Hence, the safest place for you to be at any time is church!

The lesson is: Spend more time in church! IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE!

Mark Conner Personal Development

The Power of Desperation (Part 2)

DesperateWhy wait until you hit bottom or the pain gets so bad that you have to change? Why not make the decisions that lead to life right now. Why not allow the Holy Spirit to tap into the power of desperation in your life today – right now!

1. What am you tolerating right now? Ask yourself, “What am I tolerating right now that God wants to change?” Is it a sin, a bad habit, a broken relationship, ministry stagnation or something else? Think about this and ask the Holy Spirit to make you aware of how things really are in your life and ministry. Define reality (see Ps.139:23. 2 Cor.13:5). Take time to evaluate your life. Reflect, appraise, be honest and get real. How is my life going? Really?

2. Why are you tolerating this? Think about “why” you’re doing what you’re doing right now (or not doing something you know is important). Everything we do is for a reason, whether we’re conscious of it or not. Usually that reason has to do with “avoiding pain” and “gaining pleasure” (Tit.3:3. Lk.8:14. Heb.11:25). Change requires linking pain to your old behaviour and pleasure to your new. Often, living at a higher level requires some short-term pain to achieve long-term pleasure. This is wisdom.

3. What are your options? Then ask yourself, “What can I do about this?” Consider your options. You can do nothing and keep living the same way. That’s a genuine option. However, think about the consequences of that option. Or you can do something about what you’re tolerating and do something different to change this area of your life. Success or failure is usually found in the daily habits of our lives. If you keep doing the same things you’ll probably get the same results. Often different actions produce different results.

4. What will you do about it? Finally, ask yourself, “What will I do about this?” and “When?” Accept responsibility for your situation and for doing something to change it. “Repentance” reflects desperation. It says, “I refuse to keep going this way.” “I will turn around, towards God and change me direction and way of living.” Interrupt your limiting pattern (bad habit) and create a new alternative (new habit) then reinforce it over and over. Our “decisions” determine our destiny not our “conditions”.

Don’t be like Pharoah who was willing to spend one more night with the frogs because he refused to change his heart (Ex.8:8-10). Cultivate a fresh sense of desperation that motivates you to be who God wants you to be and to do what he wants you to do. When a person uses the power of desperation, God can move in to bring about deep and lasting change that results in breakthroughs to new levels of intimacy with God, character change and increased ministry effectiveness. Others notice and are inspired to do the same. How’s your desperation factor?

Mark Conner Personal Development

The Power of Desperation (Part 1)

Desperate_2The Bible describes each one of our lives as like a “journey”. We are “pilgrims” on a road of progress and purpose. Each of us is at different points along the “path of life”. Along the way, there are many different “seasons” we go through, many varied “circumstances” we navigate through, many different “decisions” we make that each have consequences and many “changes” we experience in the process (see Prov.4:18; 15:19, 24. Ps.119:105).

God desires for us to also encounter many “breakthroughs” along the way (turning points, strategic opportunities), which become “holy ground” moments during our journey. Many of these breakthrough moments come out of times of personal “desperation” where significant things occur in our lives that dramatically affect our future.

Jacob had a tremendous heritage and inheritance through his family. He knew God’s call and experienced God’s blessing on his life. Along the way, through various circumstances, God exposed character issues that Jacob needed to deal with. One night, when he was left “alone”, he wrestled with an angel all night. Jacob was desperate for God to bless him. Through this encounter with God, his name and character was changed (Gen.32:24-32). Although Jacob walked with a limp from that time on, life change, breakthrough and greater blessing were his.

So we see that one type of experience that God uses to shape a person’s life is in the area of frustration, dissatisfaction or even failure, which can lead to a strong sense of desperation. Out of desperation can come powerful life-change.

Possessing a “desperation factor” is a vital ingredient of growth and change. There has to be a huge sense of “want to”, “need to” or “must”. Without this strong desperation, you will not pay the price to change and live a life of greater discipline and purpose. An important principle in the personal journey of every believer is this: “What you tolerate, you will never change!” It is only when we refuse to tolerate something in our own lives (not “others”, where we often need to be patient and loving) that we raise our sense of desperation and push through the pain barrier to bring about change.

As we exercise our will, God’s power is then released into our situation. God “works in” us as we “work out” our salvation (Phil.2:12-13). It is “both/and” not “either/or”. Sometimes God initiates these times (like Jacob’s encounter), other times we do (Prodigal Son – Lk.15:11-32), most often it is a combination of both.

The Prodigal Son didn’t appreciate what he had in father’s house and he made a decision to take a path that looked more attractive and pleasurable. For a while, everything went fine but then he hit hard times and eventually, when at the bottom, he made a decision out of desperation to change the course of his life – to get back on the right path and get headed in the right direction. He refused to tolerate where he was and the life he was living.

Why wait until you hit bottom or the pain gets so bad that you have to change? Why not make the decisions that lead to life right now! Why not allow the Holy Spirit to tap into the power of desperation in your life today – right now!

Mark Conner Church

How Friendly is Your Church?

HandshakeYou may have heard the story about a man who, in an attempt to find out what other churches were really like, visited 18 different churches on consecutive Sundays.

He always sat near the front of each building. After the service he would walk slowly to the rear then return to the front and back to the rear again using a different isle.

He was neatly dressed, smiled pleasantly at other worshippers and he would make it a point to initiate a conversation with at least one other person. He would also remain for coffee if it were served.

He used the following scale to rate his reception:

  • 10 points for a smile from a worshipper.
  • 10 points for a greeting from a worshipper.
  • 100 points if a worshipper exchanged names.
  • 200 points if he was invited to another service.
  • 1000 if he was introduced to another person.
  • 2000 points if he was invited to meet the pastor (maybe a bit over-rated!?).

On this scale 11 of the 18 churches earned less than 100 points.  5 churches received less than 20 points. 

His conclusion was this: the doctrine may be Biblical, the singing inspirational, the sermon uplifting, but when visitors find that nobody cares if they are there they are unlikely to return.

Continue reading “How Friendly is Your Church?” →

Mark Conner Spirituality, Theology

The Power of Prayer

PrayerThe following story is about Thomas Muthee and The Prayer Cave, as told by Dr. Peter Wagner in his book Praying with Power.

Thomas Muthee is an itinerant evangelist from Kenya, Africa. In 1988, the Lord spoke to him, “I want you to plant a church in Kiambu”.

Kiambu is a city of 80,000 people located a few miles from the beautiful capital of Kenya, Nairobi. Kiambu had gained a national reputation for having the worst crime, violence, drunkenness, immorality, thievery and human degradation. Public disorder was common and loud rock music blared from speakers in front of barrooms throughout the nights.

It was the murder capital of Kenya, registering up to eight killings per month. The economy of the city was so bad that government officials reportedly paid bribes to their superiors so as not to be assigned to Kiambu.

A cloud of mystery hung over the city. In certain places regular car accidents occurred with no bleeding taking place ever!

Thomas had never been there but had heard about it. He did not want to go. Plus he was an evangelist and never wanted to plant a church.

Kiambu was the preacher’s graveyard. Pastor after pastor tried and then soon left discouraged and defeated. The largest Pentecostal church (typically fast growing in Kenya) was less than 60 members after 15 years of faithful ministry. Another, also 15 years old, had 40 members and another 30!

The Preparation

The assignment was clear, but how to implement it?

Continue reading “The Power of Prayer” →

Mark Conner Evangelism and Mission

The Ripple Effect

Ripple_effectIn 1855, a Sunday School teacher, a Mr. Kimball, led a Boston shoe clerk to give his life to Christ. The clerk, Dwight L. Moody, became an evangelit.

In England in 1879, Dwight L. Moody awakened evangelistic zeal in the heart of Fredrick B. Meyer, pastor of a small church. 

F.B. Meyer, preaching to an American college campus, brought to Christ a student named J. Wilbur Chapman. 

J. Wilbur Chapman, engaged in YMCA work, employed a former baseball player, Billy Sunday, to do evangelistic work. 

Billy Sunday held a revival in Charlotte, North Carolina. A group of local men were so enthusiastic afterward that they planned another evangelistic campaign, bringing Mordecai Hamm to town to preach. 

During Mordecai Hamm’s revival, a young man named Billy Graham heard the Gospel and yielded his life to Christ. 

Only Eternity will reveal the tremendous impact of that one Sunday School teacher, Mr. Kimball, who invested his life in the lives of others.

Makes you think, doesn’t it? Everything we do in the name of Jesus Christ has an effect which will be viewed through eternity. 

[Source]

Mark Conner Theology

God Leads a Pretty Sheltered Life

At the end of time, billions of people were scattered on a great plain before God’s throne. Some of the groups near the front talked heatedly – not with cringing shame before God’s throne, but with embittered belligerence.

"How can God judge us? How can He know about suffering?” snapped a brunette, jerking back a sleeve to reveal a tattooed number from a Nazi concentration camp. “We endured terror, beatings, torture, and death!”

In another group, a black man lowered his collar. “What about this?” he demanded, showing the rope burns. “Lynched for no crime but being black! We’ve suffocated in slave ships, been wrenched from loved ones, and toiled ‘til only death gave release.”

Hundreds of such groups were visible across the plain. Each had a complaint against God for the evil and suffering He permitted in His world. How lucky God was, they all seemed to agree, able to live in heaven where all is sweetness and light, without weeping, fear hunger or hatred. Indeed, what does God know about man? What does He know about being forced to endure the trials of life? After all, God leads pretty sheltered life.

So each group sent out a leader, chosen because he had suffered the most. There was a Jew, a black, an untouchable from India, a person who was illegitimate, a person from Hiroshima and others who had tasted life’s bitterest dregs. At last they were ready to present their case. It was rather simple: Before God would be qualified to be their judge; He must endure what they had endured.

Their decision was that God should be sentenced to live on earth as a man. But because He was God, they set certain safeguards to be sure He would not use His divine powers to help himself.

  • Let Him be a Jew.
  • Let the legitimacy of His birth be questioned.
  • Let Him champion a cause so just, but so radical, it brings upon Him the hate, condemnation and destructive attacks of political and religious authorities.
  • Let Him be indicted on false charges, tried before a prejudiced jury and convicted by a cowardly judge.
  • Let Him see what it is to be terribly alone and completely abandoned by every living being.
  • Let Him be tortured and … let Him die.
  • And let His death be humiliating; let it take place beside common criminals, while He is jeered at, mocked, and spit on.

As each leader announced his portion of the sentence, loud murmurs of approval went up from the great throng of people. But suddenly, after the last one had finished pronouncing sentence, there was a long silence. No one uttered another word. No one moved. For suddenly, all recognized the stark reality; God had already served his sentence.

[Author unknown]

Mark Conner General Interest

The Race

Childrens-race

For some inspiration when you feel like giving up, I love Dr D.H. Groberg's poem The Race, which I have included below. It's about a boys race, so girls will have to do a little 'gender inclusive translation' along the way 🙂

 

"Quit! Give up! You're beaten!" they shout at me and plead

There's just too much against you now, this time you can't succeed

And as I start to hang my head in front of failure's face

My downward fall is broken by the memory of a race

And hope refills my weakened will as I recall that scene

For just the thought of that short race rejuvenates my being

 

A children's race – young boys, young men – how I remember well

Excitement sure! But also fear, it wasn't hard to tell

They all lined up so full of hope, each thought to win that race

Or tie for first, or if not that, at least take second place

 

And fathers watched from off the side, each cheering for his son.

And each boy hoped to show his dad that he would be the one

The whistle blew and off they went! Young hearts and hopes afire

To win and be the hero there was each young boy's desire

 

And one boy in particular whose dad was in the crowd

Was running near the lead and thought, "My dad will be so proud"

But as they speeded down the field across a shallow dip

The little boy who thought to win, lost his step and slipped

Trying hard to catch himself, his hands flew out to brace

And amid the laughter of the crowd, he fell flat on his face

 

So down he fell and with him hope – he couldn't win now

Embarrassed, sad, he only wished to disappear somehow

But as he fell his dad stood up and showed his anxious face

Which to the boy so clearly said, "Get up and win the race"

 

He quickly rose, no damage done – behind a bit, that's all

And ran with all his mind and might to make up for his fall

So anxious to restore himself – to catch up and to win

His mind went faster than his legs, he slipped and fell again!

 

He wished then he had quit before with only one disgrace

"I'm hopeless as a runner now; I shouldn't try to race."

But in the laughing crowd he searched and found his father's face

That steady look which said again: "Get up and win the race!"

 

So up he jumped to try again – ten yards behind the last

"If I'm to gain those yards", he thought, "I've got to move real fast".

Exerting everything he had, he regained eight or ten

But trying so hard to catch the lead, he slipped and fell again!

 

Defeat! He lay there silently – a tear dropped from his eye

"There's no sense running any more; three strikes, I'm out! Why try?"

The will to rise had disappeared, all hope had fled away

So far behind now, so error prone; a failure all the way

 

"I've lost, so what's the use", he thought. "I'll live with my disgrace"

But then he thought about his dad who soon he'd have to face

"Get up", an echo sounded low; "Get up and take your place;

You were not meant for failure here, get up and win the race."

"With borrowed will get up", it said; "You haven't lost at all

For winning is no more than this: to rise each time you fall".

 

So up he rose to run once more, and with a new commit

He resolved that win or lose, at least he wouldn't quit

So far behind the others now – the most he'd ever been

Still he gave it all he had and ran as though to win

 

Three times he'd fallen, stumbling; three times he rose again

Too far behind to hope to win, he still ran to the end.

They cheered the winning runner as he crossed the line first place

Head high, and proud, and happy; no failing, no disgrace.

 

But then the fallen youngster crossed the line last place

The crowd gave him the greater cheer for finishing the race

And even though he came last with head bowed low, unproud

You would have thought he'd won the race, to listen to the crowd.

 

And to his dad he sadly said, "I didn't do so well".

"To me you won", his father said; "You rose each time you fell".

 

And now when things seem dark and hard and difficult to face

The memory of that little boy helps me in my race

For all my life is like that race, with ups and downs and all

And all you have to do to win is rise each time you fall

 

"Quit! Give up! You're beaten! They still shout in my face

But another voice within me says: GET UP AND WIN THE RACE!"

Mark Conner Think About It

Handling Disappointment

DisappointmentLife brings disappointment from time to time. How do we handle it? How do we adjust? Where is God in it all?

The following poem Welcome to Holland was written by Emily Pearl Kingsley, a parent of a special needs child. It always move me, every time I read it …

"I am often asked to describe the experience
Of raising a child with a disability,
To help people, who have not shared that unique experience,
Understand it
And imagine how it would feel.
It’s like this
When you’re going to have a baby,
It’s like planning a fabulous trip to Italy;
You buy a bunch of guidebooks and make your wonderful plans-
The Coliseum, Michelangelo’s David, the gondolas in Venice-
You may even learn some handy phrases in Italian.
It’s all very exciting.
After all the months of eager anticipation,
The day finally arrives.
You pack your bags and off you go
Several hours later, the plane lands,
The stewardess comes in and says
‘Welcome to Holland’.
‘HOLLAND!?’ you say. ‘What do you mean, Holland?
I signed up for Italy.
I’m supposed to be in Italy.
All my life I’ve dreamed of going to Italy’.
But there has been a change in the flight plan.
The important thing is
That they haven’t taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place
Full of pestilence, famine and disease.
It’s just a different place.
So, you must go out and buy new guidebooks.
And you must learn a whole new language.
And you will meet a whole new group of people
You would never have otherwise met.
It’s just a different place.
It’s slower paced than Italy;
Less flashy than Italy.
But after you’ve been there for a while
And catch your breath,
You look around and you begin to notice
That Holland has windmills;
Holland has tulips;
Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy,
And they’re all bragging about the wonderful time they had.
And for the rest of your life you will say
‘Yes, that’s where I was supposed to go;
That’s what I had planned’.
The pain of that will never, ever go away,
Because the loss of that dream is a very significant loss.
But if you spend your life mourning the fact
That you didn’t get to Italy,
You may never be free to enjoy
The very special, the very lovely things about Holland."

Continue reading “Handling Disappointment” →

Mark Conner Theology

One Solitary Life

Here is a well known poem about the impact of the life of Jesus Christ (written in 1926) …

"Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another obscure village. He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty, and then for three years He was an itinerant preacher. He never wrote a book. He never held an office.

He never owned a home. He never set foot inside a big city. He never travelled two hundred miles from the place where He was born. He had no credentials but Himself.

While still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against Him. His friends ran away. One of them denied Him. He was turned over to His enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed upon a cross between two thieves.

His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth while He was dying — and that was His coat. When He was dead, He was taken down and laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.

Nineteen wide centuries have come and gone and today He is the centerpiece of the human race and the leader of progress. I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, and all the navies that ever were built, and all the parliaments that ever sat, and all the kings that ever reigned, put together have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as that One Solitary Life."

I understand that this poem was adapted from a sermon by Dr James Allan Francis in “The Real Jesus and Other Sermons” © 1926 by the Judson Press of Philadelphia (pp 123-124 titled “Arise Sir Knight!”).

Mark Conner Relationships

The Power of Forgiveness

ForgivenessForgiveness is not an elective in the school of life. It is a required course, and the exams are always tough to pass.

Here’s a moving story about the power of forgiveness from Charles Swindoll as told in his book Improving Your Serve ...

"Several years ago I travelled to Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in search of a pastoral intern. In the process of interviewing a number of men, I met a seminarian I will never forget. As it turned out, I did not select him to come for the summer, but I was extremely impressed with his sensitivity to God.  Although young and inexperienced, his spirit was tender and he spoke with gentleness. It was obvious that the Lord was deeply at work in his life. The marks of a servant’s heart were clearly visible, so much so I probed to discover why. Among other things he related an incredible, true story that illustrated how God was moulding him and shaping him through one of those tough ‘forgiveness exams’.  As best as I can remember, here’s his story. I’ll call him Aaron, not his real name.

Late one spring he was praying about having a significant ministry the following summer. He asked God for a position to open up on some church staff or Christian organisation. Nothing happened.  Summer arrived, still nothing. Days turned into weeks, and Aaron finally faced reality – he needed any job he could find. He checked want ads and the only thing that seemed a possibility was driving a bus in southside Chicago … nothing to brag about, but it would help with tuition in the fall. After learning the route, he was on his own – a rookie driver in a dangerous section of the city. It wasn’t long before Aaron realised just how dangerous his job really was.

A small gang of tough kids spotted the young driver, and began to take advantage of him. For several mornings in a row they got on, walked right past him without paying, ignoring his warnings, and rode until they decided to get off … all the while making smart remarks to him and others on the bus.  Finally, he decided that had gone on long enough.

The next morning, after the gang got on as usual, Aaron saw a policeman on the next corner, so he pulled over and reported the offence. The officer told them to pay or get off. They paid … but, unfortunately, the policeman got off. And they stayed on. When the bus turned another corner or two, the gang assaulted the young driver.

When he came to, blood was all over his shirt, two teeth were missing, both eyes were swollen, his money was gone, and the bus was empty.  After returning to the terminal and being given the weekend off, our friend went to his little apartment, sank onto his bed and started at the ceiling in disbelief.  Resentful thoughts swarmed his mind.  Confusion, anger and disillusionment added fuel to the fire of his physical pain. He spent a fitful night wrestling with his Lord.

Continue reading “The Power of Forgiveness” →

Mark Conner Spirituality

Sacred Space

Sacred_spaceA friend of a friend told me about a very good web site dedicated to helping people find some ‘sacred space’ in their day.

Check it out at Sacred Space and follow the prompts after selecting which language you’d prefer.

A thought for the day …

"Be still, and know that I am God." [Ps 46:10. NIV]

Mark Conner Current Issues

Will the Real Jesus Please Stand Up! [Part 3]

Today we come to our final and most important question .. “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?” This is what Pilate asked the crowd (in Matt.27:22). They replied, “Crucify him!” and the rest is history.

What will YOU do with Jesus? This is an important decision as it has has eternal implications. When Jesus Christ returns, he will do with you what we have done with him. Reject him and he will reject you. Accept him and he will accept you. The choice is yours!

The real Jesus is God in human form. He came from heaven to earth become man, to show us how to live. He died on a cross in our place to make way for us to be forgiven and to become children of God, He rose up again from the dead, validating his claim to be God and then he returned to heaven. He sent His Spirit to help us live for him in world. He will return again to receive his own to himself. Those who reject him will be banished to everlasting punishment. That’s not Jesus’ desire – he doesn’t want anyone to perish. But the choice is ours.

What will YOU do with the real Jesus?

P.S. For further reading about the real Jesus and to fin some answers to some of the questions we’ve raised and that are being asked today, I’d recommend the following books:

Mark Conner Current Issues

Will the Real Jesus Please Stand Up! [Part 2]

Yesterday we considered Jesus’ question,  “Who do PEOPLE say that I am?” We noted that there has always been a wide variety of opinions about Jesus’ identity.

Today, let’s look at an even more important question from Jesus: "Who do YOU say that I am?" (Matt.16:15)

The question is highly relevant for us today. There are many opinions about the ‘real Jesus’, but what do YOU think? There is no that doubt Jesus lived in ancient Palestine back in first century. There is more evidence for the life of Jesus Christ than there is for the life of Julius Caesar. But who was this Jesus?

New theories attempt to bring Jesus down to our level, making him more human OR they seek to lift us up to his level, making us more divine – as equals with Jesus.

Jesus clearly claimed to be God. He saw himself as equal with the Father God, he forgave people of their sin, and he claimed divine authority. That is why he was crucified.

You can’t say that Jesus was … just an ethical teacher, a wisdom guru, a miracle-worker, or a social reformer. Jesus claimed to be God. That claim forces us to make a decision. As C.S. Lewis declared, Jesus is either a liar, a lunatic or he really is Lord of all.

Jesus’ claim to be God – was this TRUE or FALSE? If false, he either knew it was false or he didn’t. If false, he must have been a LIAR, deliberately misleading multitudes. Or, he was LUNATIC, sincerely believing he was God, when he wasn’t.

Was Jesus a LIAR? Consider his brilliant moral character and his willingness to die for this claim. This option doesn’t make sense.

Was Jesus a LUNATIC? Consider his humility, his warmth, his unselfish love, his quick thinking under pressure from his opponents, his intelligent communication, his amazing self-control and composure under intense physical pain and the emotional stress of betrayal and then crucifixion. He was a man in contact with reality. This option doesn’t make sense either.

The only other alternative is that His claim is true. Jesus really is God and Lord of all.