7 Amens

~ Different Nuances of Amen ~

Amen is one word that is common to all who have Christian faith. It is not just used at the end of a statement—oftentimes it is embedded in the thought. Do you understand the meanings of the word “amen” and the differences in its meaning? In each of the following situations we are dealing with the same Greek word. 

Affirmation (so it is) ~ “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life” (John 6:47).

Supplication (so let it be) ~ “And she said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table” (Matthew 15:27). 

Expectation (let it be) ~ “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20).

Confidence (it shall be) ~ “I tell you the truth, whoever hears My Word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24).

Necessity (it must be) ~ “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God’” (John 3:3).

Certainty (it is) ~ “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us” (2 Corinthians 1:20). 

Acquiescence (let it be) ~ “At that time Jesus answered and said, ‘I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight’” (Matthew 11:25-26).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Messiah, 47

~ David’s Heir Would Be Raised From Death ~

“Search the Scriptures—they testify of Me.”

— Jesus Christ (John 5:39)

The Scripture

“I [David] will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because You will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (Psalm 16:7-11).

The Messiah  

“For David says concerning Him: ‘I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; moreover my flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’  Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses” (Acts 2:25-32).

“Therefore He also says in another Psalm: ‘You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.’ For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption; but He whom God raised up saw no corruption” (Acts 13:35-37).

~~~ 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.

Church Choice

~ Looking for a New Church? ~

The cynic, and the theologian, suggest that if you are looking for a “perfect church” and you happen to find it—please don’t join it, for obvious reasons! (You’re not perfect and you would destroy the only perfect church.)

Before making the decision to change churches, have you made a careful analysis of the situation? Are you sure it is time to change churches? Could it rather be time to change yourself? Are your thoughts, attitudes, actions, and lifestyle right?

There are times when it is very appropriate to leave a church and join a different church. The most obvious example is when you move to a new geographical location. But there are other legitimate times to move on to a new fellowship of believers. What follows are some ideas which I have personally used when seeking God’s choice of a church for myself and my family.

Biblically Based  ~  The official doctrinal statement is important. However, it is more important to observe what is being preached week in and week out. Does the pastor preach the Word of God? Is it truly Biblical? Is much of it expository—direct commentary on Biblical passages? 

Body Life  ~  Are the local church members busy interacting with each other before and after the service? Or do they come at the last minute before the service starts and rush out as soon as it is over? The local church should be like a family that has healthy relationships. Are there lots of activities besides the formal church services? Is it a healthy church body?

Pastor’s Personality  ~  Who does the pastor interact with before and after services? Is his interaction primarily with the wealthy or influential (see James 2:2-4)? Is his interaction primarily the church leaders? Or, does the pastor see himself as a true pastor to all the sheep? (Matthew 18:11-14)   

Financial Status  ~ This is often easy to determine since many churches print financial data in small print on their weekly handout. If it is not there, a little digging is worth the effort. Why is this important? Many times when a pastor is spending a lot of time urging a congregation to give more, or to witness more, it is an indication that a deeper problem exists. The problem may well be with the hearts of those making up the congregation. While this may not be a killer—it is a definite caution sign about the spiritual condition of many in the congregation. This in turn is a caution about the overall spiritual leadership of the local church.   

Family Member’s Needs  ~  As a parent sometimes it is more important to attend a church where your children are receiving excellent Biblical training (not just being baby-sat) than a church where your feeding needs are met. This is especially true when the parents are mature Christians. 

Welcoming  ~  Is the visitor truly welcomed? This is a difficult item to assess without multiple visits. Besides those who have been given “the task” to welcome newcomers, are other church members welcoming? I have deliberately listed this item last for a reason. In addition to being very difficult to assess, this is an area where a newcomer has a major role to play as well. Sometimes a congregation seems aloof because in their healthy body life they are inadvertently not giving attention to newcomers. Unless it is strongly cliqueish, I would be slow to rule out a church solely for this reason.

Which Church is God’s Choice for You?  ~  This is by far the most important factor—and sometimes the most difficult to discern. A helpful resource for making Biblical decisions which are aligned with God’s desire for you is the book “Thy Will Be Done On Earth: Understanding God’s Will for You” by yours truly (more information is available elsewhere on this site).  

The above are some of the factors which my family and I have used in selecting a new church. Many times one visit will allow you to discard a church from your list of potentials. However, it usually takes a number of visits to be sure a church is the right one! 

If you are led to change churches, consider these questions. Do you need to change your behavior, activity level, and interaction with other church members? How can you exercise your natural talents and spiritual gifts in your new church? Can you love your new church and its members as they are? …as you learn more about their idiosyncrasies? 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Extra: Book Review – TWBDOE

~ A Review of “Thy Will Be Done On Earth” by Christian News Northwest ~

Reproduced immediately below is one of the many positive reviews the book” Thy Will Be Done On Earth” has received.

Christian News Northwest
The Northwest Book Reviewer - Gail Welborn  
Thy Will Be Done On Earth, Understanding God's Will for You,
by Robert Lloyd Russell,
Xulon Press, 2008, 192 Pages, ISBN-13: 978-1606474303, $14.99

Christians are told to trust God with their decisions.  Some Christians say they discern God’s will with what is called “open and closed doors.”  However, Scripture clearly demonstrates the disciples’ lives were not without problems, yet they obeyed God even when the “door” appeared closed.

With a Masters Degree in Christian Leadership from Western Seminary and years of experience teaching adult Sunday school classes and seminars, Russell developed two molecular models to visually demonstrate traditional Christian truth from a new perspective.  Thy Will Be Done, first of six books in the Christian Concept Series, presents these materials for the first time outside the classroom.

The first part describes three aspects of God's will, His sovereign, general, and specific will that provide the foundation for the rest of the book.  The Christian Life Model in Part 2 diagrams God's general will for Christians, while The Christian Guidance Model in Part 3 illustrates how to make correct decisions. 

Designed for individual or group study, the 26 short chapters build on material from preceding chapters.  “Think and Grow,” a practical application section with reflective questions, end each chapter with space for readers to journal their thoughts.  This timely book equips Christians to find tangible answers to difficult questions in one of the most trying times of our nation's history.  It would make an excellent Bible study.  

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:

There is more information about Thy Will Be Done On Earth at the author’s website. 

You may order directly from Amazon or from Xulon Press. 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Messiah, 46

~ Messiah Would Rule All of Creation ~

“Search the Scriptures—they testify of Me.”

— Jesus Christ (John 5:39)

The Scripture

“You made Him ruler over the works of Your hands; You put everything under His feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!” (Psalm 8:6-9).

The Messiah  

“For ‘He has put all things under His feet.’ But when He says ‘all things are put under Him,’ it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all” (1 Corinthians 15:27-28). 

“‘You have put all things in subjection under His feet.’ For in that He put all in subjection under Him, He left nothing that is not put under Him” (Hebrews 2:8a).

“And He put all things under His feet” (Ephesians 1:22a).

~~~ 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

Jesus Christ, 6

~ Jesus Christ: “All Things” ~

He Is Before All Things  ~  “And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist” (Colossians 1:17).

For Whom Are All Things  ~  “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings” (Hebrews 2:10).

By Whom Are All Things  ~  “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings” (Hebrews 2:10).

Heir Of All Things  ~  “Has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds” (Hebrews 1:2).

Preeminent In All Things  ~   “And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence” (Colossians 1:18). 

He Will Fill All Things  ~   “He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things” (Ephesians 4:10).

Summary: “All In All”  ~  “Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:15-23).

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