Christian Action, 39of39

~ Overcome The Evil All Around ~

Series Note  ~  In just the single chapter of Romans 12 the Apostle Paul gave believers a list of 39 things which are part of the Christian life which pleases God.  This chapter is crying out saying, “If you name Jesus Christ as your Savior then please act like a Christian!”  It is Paul’s “To Do List” for us.  The key principle is that while you and I cannot change God’s character (who He really is) we have the clear potential to damage His reputation (what others think He is). 

Scripture to Meditate On  ~  “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).

Comment  ~  The very first To Do in Romans 12 was to commit all to God.  The middle To Do was the critical foundation of continual earnest prayer—which is vital if we are to accomplish any of our To Dos.  Now we come to the final To Do which will be the result if we have paid sincere effort—in dependence upon the Word of God and the Spirit of God—to the list of To Dos in Romans 12. 

Related Passages  ~  “Do not love the world or the things in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.  And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:15-17).  “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.  For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.  And His commandments are not burdensome.  For whatever is born of God overcomes the world.  And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.  Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:2-5).

~ 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/ .

Christian Action, 38of39

~ Do Not Be Overwhelmed By The Evil Around You ~

Series Note  ~  In just the single chapter of Romans 12 the Apostle Paul gave believers a list of 39 things which are part of the Christian life which pleases God.  This chapter is crying out saying, “If you name Jesus Christ as your Savior then please act like a Christian!”  It is Paul’s “To Do List” for us.  The key principle is that while you and I cannot change God’s character (who He really is) we have the clear potential to damage His reputation (what others think He is). 

Scripture to Meditate On  ~  “Do not be overcome by evil” (Romans 12:21a).

Comment  ~  Jesus Christ was the ultimate realist.  He didn’t look at things through rose-colored glasses, but rather He always spoke the truth. 

Related Passages  ~  “Jesus answered them, ‘Do you now believe?  Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone.  And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.  These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world’” (John 16:31-33).

~ 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/ .

Christian Action, 37of39

~ Give Drink To Your Enemies ~

Series Note  ~  In just the single chapter of Romans 12 the Apostle Paul gave believers a list of 39 things which are part of the Christian life which pleases God.  This chapter is crying out saying, “If you name Jesus Christ as your Savior then please act like a Christian!”  It is Paul’s “To Do List” for us.  The key principle is that while you and I cannot change God’s character (who He really is) we have the clear potential to damage His reputation (what others think He is). 

Scripture to Meditate On  ~  “Therefore ‘if your enemy is … thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head’” (Romans 12:20).

Comment  ~  Consider the story of the Good Samaritan.  “Then Jesus answered and said: ‘A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.  Now by chance a certain priest came down that road.  And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.  Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.  But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was.  And when he saw him, he had compassion.  So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.  On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, “Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.”  So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?’  And he said, ‘He who showed mercy on him.’  Then Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise’” (Luke 10:30-37).

“But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?” (1 John 3:17). 

Related Passages  ~  While taking care of physical needs is important it is more vital that we point others to the only way they can satisfy their spiritual needs.  “And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward” (Matthew 10:42). 

“Jesus answered and said to her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, “Give Me a drink,” you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.’  The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep.  Where then do You get that living water?  Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?’  Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst.  But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life’” (John 4:10-14).

“On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water’” (John 7:37-38). 

~ 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/ .