Robert Lloyd Russell's Blog, page 73

Fear God, 159

~ Individual Witnesses to God’s Power Feared God ~
God does not want His children living in fear.  “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:2-3).  However, God does want His children to have a proper respect and reverence for Him.  We are told in many places in Scripture to “ fear God .”  
This Week’s Passage  ~  “Nevertheless the men rowed hard to return to land, but they could not, for the sea continued to grow more tempestuous against them.  Therefore they cried out to the Lord and said, ‘We pray, O Lord, please do not let us perish for this man’s life, and do not charge us with innocent blood; for You, O Lord, have done as it pleased You.’  So they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging.  Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice to the Lord and took vows” (Jonah 1:13-16).
Fearing God Results in Salvation  ~  “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).  “A wise person fears and departs from evil, but a fool rages and is self-confident” (Proverbs 14:16).  This does not mean the Christian is to live a fearful life—but a life which reverences God and seeks to do His will. 
Fearing God Results in Fearlessness  ~  “The Lordis my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lordis the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1).  The answer is: only God.  With the gift of salvation comes responsibility.
Fearing God Results in Witnessing  ~  “Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will declare what He has done for my soul” (Psalm 66:16). 
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW
NOTES: (1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page. (2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column. (3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website.  (4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/.

Bible Answer, 69

~ Did You Get It Right? ~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ bible answer ~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
question:  Who condemned imported clothes?                                            
answer:    Zephaniah
“And it shall be, in the day of the Lord’s sacrifice, that I will punish the princes and the king’s children, and all such as are clothed with foreign apparel.  In the same day I will punish all those who leap over the threshold, who fill their masters’ houses with violence and deceit” (Zephaniah 1:8-9).
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW
NOTES: (1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page. (2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column. (3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website.  (4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/.

God A-Z, 24(X)of26

~ “X-Ray Vision” and 2 More ~
In this series we look at God’s names (formal and informal from Biblical and English languages) as well as clear descriptors of God from Scripture.  In 26 posts we look at names which start with a successive letter of the English alphabet.  (Only a sample of many references are provided.)  Each of these names / descriptors apply to one or more members of the Triune Godhead. 
Of the 26 letters in the English alphabet “X” is the only one which required a little creativity. 
X-RAY VISION  ~  Hebrews 4:13; Jeremiah 23:23-24; Psalm 139:2-12
eXALTED  ~  Psalm 57:5; 1 Chronicles 29:11; Nehemiah 9:5; Job 36:2; Psalm 46:10, 57:5, 11, 97:9, 148:13; Isaiah 2:11, 17, 12:4, 33:5, 10, 52:13; Acts 5:31
eXTREME  ~  Isaiah 6:3.  Note Also:  A core meaning of holy is unique.  For example, throughout the Old Testament God’s holiness is contrasted to that which is profane (common).  God’s totality is eXtreme in that it is has no comparison.
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW
NOTES: (1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page. (2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column. (3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website.  (4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/.

Bible Question, 69

~ Test Your Bible Knowledge ~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ bible question ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
question:  Who condemned imported clothes?        
Please provide your answer in the comments below!
The answer will be provided in a future blog.
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW
NOTES: (1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page. (2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column. (3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website.  (4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/.

Question – Jesus, 27

~  Regarding Desire ~
Introduction ~  This series is about questions involving Jesus.  Some were asked by individuals involved with Jesus Christ while He walked on earth.  Others are questions that Jesus Christ asked others.  We will look at questions on about 130 topics (some may split into two or more posts).  Even so, it is far from an exhaustive list. 
Scripture  ~  “Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him.  And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, ‘Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!’  Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, ‘Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!’  So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, ‘What do you want Me to do for you?’  They said to Him, ‘Lord, that our eyes may be opened.’  So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes.  And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him’ (Matthew 20:29-34). 
“After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.  Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches.  In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water.  For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.  Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years.  When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, ‘Do you want to be made well?’  The sick man answered Him, ‘Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.’  Jesus said to him, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk.’  And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.
“And that day was the Sabbath.  The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, ‘It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.’  He answered them, ‘He who made me well said to me, “Take up your bed and walk.”’  Then they asked him, ‘Who is the Man who said to you, “Take up your bed and walk”?’  But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place.  Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, ‘See, you have been made well.  Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.’  The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well’ (John 5:1-15). 
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW
NOTES: (1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page. (2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column. (3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website.  (4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/.

Jesus Was—But, 12

~ Consider His Divine Eternal Nature ~
Introduction  ~  Each post in this series looks at an historical event and then follows it up with part of “The Rest of The Story” (as Paul Harvey used to say). 
Jesus Was  ~  Crucified between two criminals.  “And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center [between two criminals]” (John 19:17-18). 
But There Is More To The Story  ~  As a great hymn of the faith says: “I serve a risen Savior… He’s in the world today!”  The Scriptures provide this account: “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.  After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.  After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles.  Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time” (1 Corinthians 15:3-8).
Important Closing Overview  ~  Jesus Christ is God.  He is eternal.
The Past Factor  ~  Jesus Christ, the Messiah, lived the life we could not live.  He paid the penalty we could not pay.  “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man [Jesus Christ] be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:14-17). 
The Now Factor  ~  Jesus Christ is now sitting beside God, His Father, working on our behalf: “What then shall we say to these things?  If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?  Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect?  It is God who justifies.  Who is he who condemns?  It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” (Romans 8:31-36).
The Future Factor  ~  “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep [physically dead].  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God.  And the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  And thus we shall always be with the Lord.  Therefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18). 
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW
NOTES: (1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page. (2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column. (3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website.  (4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/.

Myth, 33

~ Christians Should Never Offend ~
The Myth  ~  A spiritual Christian would never say anything that might offend someone or hurt their feelings.  Closely related to this is the misuse of the Scripture “judge not” by taking it out of context and giving it a universal application. 
Scripture  ~  “Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses” (Proverbs 27:6 niv).  
“Speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head — Christ — from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:15-16). 
“Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.  Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:1-3).
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW
NOTES: (1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page. (2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column. (3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website.  (4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/.