Robert Lloyd Russell's Blog, page 23
June 5, 2021
Myth, 100
~ No One Can Understand The Bible ~
Myth ~ The Bible is so complex that no one can discern its meaning. Reality ~ The Bible is extremely complex – which supports of its divine origin. It is true that no human, while on earth, will fully comprehend all aspects of the Bible’s content. But the reality is that even a small child can comprehend critically important aspects of the message of the Bible. In seminaries, and elsewhere, scholars continue to find new depths they did not previously understand. This is another indication of its divine inspiration. What other book has this profound content? Comment ~ This is closely related to the last myth we looked at – but has a significant difference in its nuance. Scripture ~ Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I” (John 14:25-28).“There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:9-12).
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.
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June 4, 2021
Quiet, 1of4
~ A Time To Not Be Quiet ~
Principle ~ “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven … A time to keep silence, and a time to speak” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 7b).
A Time To Preach (what God has done and can do) ~ “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2).
A Time To Speak Up (call upon God) ~ “Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’” (Luke 18:39).
A Time To Witness (what God has done for you) ~ “So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, ‘Give God the glory! We know that this Man [Jesus Christ] is a sinner.’ He answered and said, ‘Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see’” (John 9:24-25).
A Time To Defend (the truth of the Word of God) ~ “And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. ‘And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.’ But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil” (1 Peter 3:13-17).
Summary ~ Sometimes it is wrong to be silent.
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.
Author web page: http://booksrlr.com/ “Books by Robert Lloyd Russell”
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June 3, 2021
Bible Answer, 85
~ Did You Get It Right? ~
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~~~~ bible answer ~~~~
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question: There are over 20 dreams mentioned in the Bible. Who was the only woman mentioned as having a dream?
answer: Pilate’s wife.
“Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy. While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, ‘Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.’
“But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said to them, ‘Which of the two do you want me to release to you?’ They said, ‘Barabbas!’ Pilate said to them, ‘What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?’ They all said to him, ‘Let Him be crucified’!” (Matthew 27:15-22).~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.
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Author web page: http://booksrlr.com/ “Books by Robert Lloyd Russell”
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June 2, 2021
God Our Rock, 16
~ I Can Question My Rock ~
Introduction ~ In Matthew 7:24-27 and Luke 6:47-49 Jesus relates the importance of building your house upon rock rather than sand. This principle is even more critical when it comes to our spiritual life. Each post in this series looks at a different Biblical passage which refers to our God as a Rock (not a complete list).
Scripture ~ “I will say to God my Rock, ‘Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?’ As with a breaking of my bones, my enemies reproach me, while they say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’
“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God” (Psalm 42:9-11).
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.
Author web page: http://booksrlr.com/ “Books by Robert Lloyd Russell”
· Be an insider! Sign up for his Author Newsletterand receive occasional news and special offers. His books have won national and international literary awards. Subscribe today and receive a welcome gift. Your email will never be sold, given, or used in any other way. You can easily unsubscribe at any time. https://www.subscribepage.com/rlr
Daily blog page: http://robertlloydrussell.blogspot.com/ “Abundant Life Now”
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June 1, 2021
Bible Question, 85
~ Test Your Bible Knowledge ~
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~~~~ bible question ~~~~
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question: There are over 20 dreams mentioned in the Bible. Who was the only woman mentioned as having a dream?
Please provide your answer in the comments below!
The answer will be provided in a future blog.
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.
* * * * *
Author web page: http://booksrlr.com/ “Books by Robert Lloyd Russell”
· Be an insider! Sign up for his Author Newsletterand receive occasional news and special offers. His books have won national and international literary awards. Subscribe today and receive a welcome gift. Your email will never be sold, given, or used in any other way. You can easily unsubscribe at any time. https://www.subscribepage.com/rlr
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May 31, 2021
They Gave All
~ Give Thanks ~
Introductory Scripture ~ There is “A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace” (Ecclesiastes 3:8).
Special Tribute ~ In the U.S.A. during the last year we have seen many individual Americans give their lives to protect others. Special honor this year is owed to our Police who have given their all during senseless riots and to our first responders who have cared for those with the COVID virus and lost their lives in the process.
Scripture ~ Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:11-13).
Comment ~ Many of our police and first responders gave their lives to help or better citizens they did not know – unknown people who were not their friends.
Give Thanks ~ For all who so gave as themselves to have given the ultimate price for others. Thank you, most of all, to the Lord Jesus Christ who gave His all to redeem his enemies from their sin.
“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 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” (Philippians 2:5-11).
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.
Author web page: http://booksrlr.com/ “Books by Robert Lloyd Russell”
· Be an insider! Sign up for his Author Newsletterand receive occasional news and special offers. His books have won national and international literary awards. Subscribe today and receive a welcome gift. Your email will never be sold, given, or used in any other way. You can easily unsubscribe at any time. https://www.subscribepage.com/rlr
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May 30, 2021
God Is My… (Psalms), 61
~ God Is My Provider, 2 ~
Introduction ~ Previously from July 16, 2017 through January 6, 2019 ALN posted a series of 60 posts of “Jesus is…,” and now we look exclusively at who “God is…” from the Book of Psalms. While not a complete list these posts occur are in the same order they are in the Psalms.
Passage ~ “Therefore the Lord heard this and was furious; so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel, because they did not believe in God, and did not trust in His salvation. Yet He had commanded the clouds above, and opened the doors of heaven, had rained down manna on them to eat, and given them of the bread of heaven. Men ate angels' food; He sent them food to the full.
“He caused an east wind to blow in the heavens; and by His power He brought in the south wind. He also rained meat on them like the dust, feathered fowl like the sand of the seas; and He let them fall in the midst of their camp, all around their dwellings. So they ate and were well filled, for He gave them their own desire. They were not deprived of their craving” (Psalm 78:21-30a).
Prior Passage ~ “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:5-6).
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.
* * * * *
Author web page: http://booksrlr.com/ “Books by Robert Lloyd Russell”
· Be an insider! Sign up for his Author Newsletter and receive occasional news and special offers. His books have won national and international literary awards. Subscribe today and receive a welcome gift. Your email will never be sold, given, or used in any other way. You can easily unsubscribe at any time. https://www.subscribepage.com/rlr
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May 29, 2021
Myth, 99
~ Bible Study Is For Scholars ~
Myth ~ Sometimes newcomers to the Bible are overwhelmed and develop the belief that its study is best left to the professionals, Pastors, seminary Professors and so on. This can also develop into believing you need to attend a Bible School or Seminary to effectively study the Bible. Reality ~ Nothing could be further from the truth. The best teacher of the Word of God is the Spirit of God who indwells all believers. Scripture ~ Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I” (John 14:25-28).“There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:9-12).
Comment ~ Don’t expect to understand all of Scripture in a short period of time. There are strong academic theological scholars who have spent their entire lives studying the Word of God and yet find they have not yet grasped its totality.
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.
* * * * *
Author web page: http://booksrlr.com/ “Books by Robert Lloyd Russell”
· Be an insider! Sign up for his Author Newsletterand receive occasional news and special offers. His books have won national and international literary awards. Subscribe today and receive a welcome gift. Your email will never be sold, given, or used in any other way. You can easily unsubscribe at any time. https://www.subscribepage.com/rlr
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May 28, 2021
3 Phase Redemption
~ Location – Look – Lord ~
That prolific writer, anonymous, has said that the entire story of redemption is summed up in three lines of Scripture.
“Where Is The Lamb of God?” (location) ~ “So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.’ So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together. But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, ‘My father!’ And he said, ‘Here I am, my son.’ Then he said, ‘Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?’ And Abraham said, ‘My son, God will provide for Himself the lambfor a burnt offering.’ So the two of them went together” (Genesis 22:3-8).
“Behold! The Lamb of God!” (look) ~ “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, “After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.” I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.’ And John bore witness, saying, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.’ Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, ‘Behold the Lamb of God!’” (John 1:29-36).
“Worthy Is The Lamb of God!” (Lord) ~ “Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: ‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!’ And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: ‘Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!’ Then the four living creatures said, ‘Amen!’ And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever’ (Revelation 5:11-14).
Redemption ~ The root idea of redemption is to redeem. We are God’s property by reason of His creating us. Since sin entered the world we are estranged from Him. By accepting His provision we can be redeemed (bought back – think pawn shop) and so we are become His possession in a meaningful way.
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW
Author web page: http://booksrlr.com/ “Books by Robert Lloyd Russell”
· Be an insider! Sign up for his Author Newsletterand receive occasional news and special offers. His books have won national and international literary awards. Subscribe today and receive a welcome gift. Your email will never be sold, given, or used in any other way. You can easily unsubscribe at any time. https://www.subscribepage.com/rlr
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May 27, 2021
Groans
~ 5 Groans In Scripture ~
The Sinner’s Groan (for deliverance) ~ “Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them” (Exodus 2:23-25).
The Savior’s Groan (in sympathy) ~ “Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, ‘Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.’ Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. And He said, ‘Where have you laid him?’” (John 11:32-34).
The Spirit’s Groan (of witnessing) ~ “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans 8:26-27).
The Saint’s Groan (for emancipation) ~ “For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee” (2 Corinthians 5:1-5).
“Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance” (Romans 8:23-25).
Creation’s Groan(for glory) ~ “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now” (Romans 8:18-22).
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.
Author web page: http://booksrlr.com/ “Books by Robert Lloyd Russell”
· Be an insider! Sign up for his Author Newsletterand receive occasional news and special offers. His books have won national and international literary awards. Subscribe today and receive a welcome gift. Your email will never be sold, given, or used in any other way. You can easily unsubscribe at any time. https://www.subscribepage.com/rlr
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