Thursday, January 31, 2013

Biblical Headline, 1



~ What If a Biblical Headline Were Written Today? #1 ~    

David vs. Goliath
HATE CRIME KILLS BELOVED CHAMPION
Psychologist Questions Influence of Rock

Reference Passage:  1 Samuel 17

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Obedience



~ Do You Believe Enough to Obey? ~

“Only he who believes is obedient, only he who is obedient believes.”  ~ Deitrich Bonehoeffer

God asks us to walk in obedience. He does not hold us accountable for results! Obedience is God-oriented. Results are self-oriented. Results can be the by-product of obedience. Obedience can be present without results.

When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen” (Matthew 28:17-20).

From this portion of Scripture we find a key principle.  It is “devotion before discipleship.”  It is “worship before work.” 

Obedience is proof of conversion  ~  What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:15-23)

Obedience recognizes God  ~  “But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ‘We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him’” (Acts 5:29-32). 

Obedience is a mark of children  ~ “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’ And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God” (1 Peter 1:13-21). 

Obedience is a manifestation of love – John 14:15  ~  Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.  And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever — the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:15-18).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Exalted



~ The Exaltation of Jesus Christ ~

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 2:9-11).

Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. Just as many were astonished at you, so His visage was marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men; so shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; for what had not been told them they shall see, and what they had not heard they shall consider” (Isaiah 52:13-15).

The Hebrew words translated as “exalted,” “extolled,” and “very high” all signify majesty and power.

“Exalted” at His Ascension  ~  “Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear” (Acts 2:33). “Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins” (Acts 5:31). 

“Extolled” in His Glory  ~  You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created” (Revelation 4:11). “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 5:12-14). 

“Very High” in His Kingdom  ~  “And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS’” (Revelation 19:16).

the key question: “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15). This is the most important question you will ever answer. If you do not answer it, or answer it incorrectly, you have made the biggest mistake anyone can make!

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Messiah, 82



~ Messiah Would Be Hated Without Cause, 2 ~

“Search the Scriptures—they testify of Me.”
— Jesus Christ (John 5:39)

The Scripture
“Those who hate Me without a cause are more than the hairs of My head; they are mighty who would destroy Me, being My enemies wrongfully; though I have stolen nothing, I still must restore it” (Psalm 69:4). 

The Messiah  
“He who hates Me hates My Father also.  If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause’ (John 15:23-25).  


~~~ EXPLANATORY “MESSIAH” NOTES ~~~   
(1)  Each Saturday ALN posts an example of a Hebrew Scriptures prophecy (or foreshadowing) related to the coming Messiah which was fulfilled in the birth, life, death, or resurrection of Jesus Christ.
(2)  While extensive it will not be a complete list—there are hundreds of prophecies of the coming Messiah which have been fulfilled by one man—Jesus Christ at His First Coming.
(3)  It is important that there are many more prophecies of the Messiah, yet unfulfilled, which Christians believe will be fulfilled at the time of His Second Coming.  A particularly relevant Scripture verse in this regard is: “Do not despise prophesies” (1 Thessalonians 5:20).
(4)  These posts will typically consist only of Scripture—which speaks for itself.  Sometimes italicized or bold font will be used by ALN for emphasis.
(5)  The numbering of these fulfilled prophecies of the Messiah is used to differentiate individual posts. It is not chronological (either by time of the prophecy or by sequence in the life of the Messiah).  The posting sequence will, for the most part, be in the order that the prophecies appear in Scripture.
(6)  Because of the chosen methodology (#5 above) we will find many specific prophecies repeated multiple times throughout the Scriptures.
(7)  These serial posts are in addition to our regular Tuesday ALN postings on random topics.
(8)  Subscription to ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog is simple—just use the link on the left sidebar.  Once subscribed you will not miss future posts.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Religious Peer Pressure



~ What Will My Friends Think? ~

note:  This is the first in a series of Biblical answers to objections some individuals raise when presented with the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ. 

“I will not bother to personally conduct a serious investigation of Jesus Christ because of what my friends would think.  I really don’t want to lose my existing friends.” 

This is like saying, “I will not test drive the Rolls Royce which is being freely offered to me because I like my existing Volkswagen.” Such a response doesn’t stand up to the test of logic. But logic is not the main issue. What does God say?

You May Have the Wrong Priorities and Wrong Future  ~  He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed” (Proverbs 13:20).

You Become Like Your Friends  ~  “Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits’” (1 Corinthians 15:33).

It Is Your Critically Important Choice  ~  You shall not follow a crowd to do evil” (Exodus 23:2a).

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14). 

summary: “The basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can't see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of His divine being. So nobody has a good excuse. What happened was this: People knew God perfectly well, but when they didn't treat him like God, refusing to worship him, they trivialized themselves into silliness and confusion so that there was neither sense nor direction left in their lives. They pretended to know it all, but were illiterate regarding life” (Romans 1:19-22, The Message).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW