God’s Extremes

~ The Excesses of God ~

Consider some superlatives from Scripture relating to our ability to possess the “Abundant Life Now.” 

Riches (beyond human searching)  ~  “To me [the Apostle Paul], who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.  Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory” (Ephesians 3:8-13).  “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord?  Or who has become His counselor?   Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him?’  For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever.  Amen” (Romans 11:33-36).

Joy (beyond human expression)  ~  “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love.  Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:6-9).

Peace (beyond human understanding) ~  “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

Love (beyond human knowledge)  ~  “For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:14-19). 

Knowledge & Wisdom (beyond human comprehension)  ~  “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!  ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord?  Or who has become His counselor?  Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him?’  For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever.  Amen” (Romans 11:33-36). 

Summary (practical application)  ~  “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.  Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21). 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

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A Discipleship Model, Part 5of7

~ Step 5:  Feed Your New Lifestyle ~

NOTE:  This Discipleship Model is a special 7-part series showing a clear path to spiritual victory. One step will be posted each day for a calendar week. After completion of this series Abundant Life Now will “resume regular programming.”

What kind of lifestyle do you currently possess? Is it all you desire? If not, what kind of lifestyle do you desire?

Here are two good examples of lifestyles. First, “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders, and so that you will not be dependent on anybody” (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12). Second, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more  abundantly”(John 10:10b).

Our thought life is critical since it forms attitudes. Attitudes are an extremely important aspect of our motivations. In order to possess a consistent God-pleasing lifestyle and consistent spiritual victory, we must consistently think correctly. Such a lifestyle is the result of controlling our thinking. A faulty lifestyle is a symptom of a spiritual problem which has its roots in our thought life!

“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful” (Joshua 1:8). This is the foundational aspect to controlling and maintaining correct patterns of thinking (attitudes). Our Lord understood this—recall that when He was tempted to think incorrectly, He quoted Scripture (Matthew 4:1-11).

Life is a series of changes or “change points.” Some are gradual and some are abrupt. But we are all being constantly changed. The key to living in a changing world is the ability to adjust, to relate, and to take control of the direction of our change. The role of a disciple is be control their changes in order to become more Christ-like—that is normal (not average) Christian living. If we are controlled by the Spirit we are being changed into the image of Christ—a lifelong process that is at work in us now. “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Thinking forms attitudes which motivate our action. Spiritual maturity is the result of training one’s thinking to discern good and evil thinking. “The mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil” (Hebrews 5:14). In that passage we have been given a definition of spiritual maturity. “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was” (James 1:22-24). We are only mature when we translate our head knowledge into foot knowledge.

There is a practical side to all of this. We live in a crazy world. In order to maintain sanity we need to be looking at the source and completer of our faith. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2a). This has been the source of His people’s strength throughout history. For example, “I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored” (Daniel 4:34).

But maturity is a long-term process and maintaining sanity in an insane world is an on-going process. This is counter to our environment which is based on an instant mentality. We have fast food restaurants. In our home we use products labeled shake 'n' bake, pour 'n' serve, stir 'n' blend, bake 'n' slice, mix 'n' broil, chop 'n' simmer, etc. Many of us eat junk food rather than nutritious food. We tend to focus on short-term convenience rather than long-term health. The world is training us in the opposite direction than we need to go. 

The remedy is given to us in Scripture, “We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18). The underlying important point is that as humans we live forever. Life on earth is an extremely tiny portion of forever!

Abraham Lincoln put it this way, “I’d rather lose in a cause that ultimately wins than win in a cause which ultimately loses.”

Jim Elliot wrote in his journal, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”  

My favorite author said, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Jesus Christ, Mark 8:36). The point in all this is that we should not sacrifice the permanent on the altar of the immediate.

Step 1:  Paradox  ~  Understand your partnership with God.

Step 2:  Thinking  ~  Choose to control your thoughts!

Step 3:  Attitude  ~  Increasingly rely on properly cultivated attitudes.

Step 4:  Motivation  ~  Be motivated predominately by yourself, rather than by external factors.

Step 5:  Lifestyle  ~  Continue to practice the fundamentals. 

The next step will focus on-going spiritual victory.  

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

7 Steps to Overcoming the World

~ James 4 ~

In just one chapter we find a straightforward procedure for obtaining “Abundant Life Now” and victorious Christian living even though there is a war between good and evil present in our lives (all quotations in this posting are from The Message). 

The introduction to the principles (James 4:1-6) ~ “Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don't have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn't yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it.

“You wouldn't think of just asking God for it, would you? And why not? Because you know you'd be asking for what you have no right to. You're spoiled children, each wanting your own way.

“You're cheating on God. If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and His way. And do you suppose God doesn't care? The proverb has it that ‘He's a fiercely jealous lover.’ And what He gives in love is far better than anything else you'll find. It's common knowledge that ‘God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble.’”  

(1) Submit to your Creator (4:7a) ~ “So let God work His will in you.”

(2) Choose to rebuff sin in your life (v. 7b) ~ “Yell a loud ‘no’ to the Devil and watch him scamper.”

(3) Choose to be intimate with God (v. 8a) ~ “Say a quiet ‘yes’ to God and He'll be there in no time.”

(4) Seek righteousness and holy living (v. 8b) ~ “Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field.” 

(5) Hate sin just like God hates sin (v. 9) ~ “Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious.”

(6) Have a realistic view of yourself (v. 10) ~ “Get down on your knees before the Master; it's the only way you'll get on your feet.”  

(7) All your words about others should be uplifting (v.11-12) ~ “Don't bad-mouth each other, friends. It's God's Word, His Message, His Royal Rule, that takes a beating in that kind of talk. You're supposed to be honoring the Message, not writing graffiti all over it. God is in charge of deciding human destiny. Who do you think you are to meddle in the destiny of others?”

The rest of the chapter (vs. 12-17) ~ “And now I have a word for you who brashly announce, ‘Today—at the latest, tomorrow—we're off to such and such a city for the year. We're going to start a business and make a lot of money.’ You don't know the first thing about tomorrow. You're nothing but a wisp of fog, catching a brief bit of sun before disappearing. Instead, make it a habit to say, ‘If the Master wills it and we're still alive, we'll do this or that.’ As it is, you are full of your grandiose selves. All such vaunting self-importance is evil. In fact, if you know the right thing to do and don't do it, that, for you, is evil.” 

Summary ~ “Abundant Life Now” and victorious Christian living (and James 4) begin and end with doing the will of God to the best of your ability.

ADDITIONAL COMMENT: For those who would like to look at the subject of God’s will in greater depth the tab TWBDOE at the top of this page describes Robert Lloyd Russell’s book on the How To’s of God’s will. 

Law versus Grace, 2

~ Both are Necessary for Salvation! ~   

Background ~ A previous “Law versus Grace” posting was published by ALN a year ago (on July 6, 2010). It has proven to be among the most frequently read postings and can be accessed from the left column of this page (either by date or by topic). That posting was from a traditional viewpoint—the thrust was comparisons between the Law contained in the Old Testament and the emphasis on grace in the New Testament.

Concern ~ Unfortunately, the modern Christian message often downplays the role of the Law in the process of individual conversion. Even the title of my two postings, “Law vs. Grace” implies that the two are opposing factors. In reality both are vital and critical to the salvation of any individual. Better titles would be “Law and Grace” or “The Interaction of Law and Grace.” However, I continue to use “Law vs. Grace” since that is the common topic of wide interest. 

Premise ~ It is a sick man who seeks the doctor! Unfortunately millions die every year around the world because they are unaware of their illness. Millions more die because they have no access to adequate medical care. 

Salvation is like that (Matthew 9:12). First you must realize you are sick at your very core—you have an illness. Second, you must seek help and apply the remedy. Mankind, since the Fall (Genesis 3), has an incurable disease. God the Father has provided the solution through the death of His absolutely sinless Son Jesus Christ on your behalf.

In other words, without the Law an individual will never receive or understand their correct diagnosis. The correct diagnosis includes a personal understanding that “you have sinned and fallen short of God’s demands” (Romans 3:23). Without the grace of the one true God there is no remedy! (Acts 4:12).    

Our Example ~ Jesus Christ, while on earth and confronting sinners, first dealt with the pride of their human hearts by using the Law. God’s concern is that we understand our lack of true righteousness. Notice that in Christ’s ministry He did not initially emphasize our happiness. He said that unless our righteousness exceeded that of the religious people of His day (Scribes and Pharisees) we could not enter into the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:20). In the next chapter He said that we must pursue the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). But He also assures us that those who are sincerely hungering and thirsting for righteousness will have their appetite filled (Matthew 5:6).

Now this is at the heart of the problem. In our natural state we do not seek God or His righteousness. We are too proud. No one seeks after God (Romans 3:11, John 3:19-20). It is God who seeks the sinner (Luke 19:10). A realistic understanding of the Law and God’s standards strips away our pride. In other words, it is “Law for the Proud.” Take a quick review of the Law now.    

    

The 10 Commandments ~ Consider a key part of God’s Law—the Ten Commandments. Note that these are not the 10 “suggestions.” Here is Exodus 20:1-17.

[1]  Worship only Me—the one and only true God.  

[2]  No idols—nothing should be more important to you than I am. ** Has anything ever been more important to you than your relationship with God?   

[3]  Never use my name carelessly—no cursing using My name.

[4]  On Sundays be sure to remember and honor your Creator.

(Notice that the first four commandments relate to our relationship with our Maker!)   

[5]  Always honor your parents.  

[6]  Do not murder. ** “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ [Idiot] shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire” (Matthew 5:21-22).

[7]  Be sexually pure—no adultery. ** Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:27-28). 

[8]  Do not steal.   

[9]  Never lie. ** White lies and half truths are lies in God’s eyes!    

[10]  Do not be envious or jealous. ** On the contrary when our rival succeeds we are to be joyful. “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:14-15).

About 1400 years after the Law was given, Jesus Christ summarized it when He said, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40).

Once an individual understands his inner corruptness and inability to save himself, he is ready to receive the grace of God. It is a matter of “Grace for the humble.” 

Basic Principle #1 ~ “Law for the Proud and Grace for the Humble.”

Basic Principle #2 ~ “Effective witness or evangelism begins with the Law.” Grace is meaningless to the self-righteous and proud. 

Summary ~ “Law for the Proud and Grace for the Humble.” Jesus Christ on earth never offered grace to the proud. “God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5). “Those who are proud are despicable to God” (Proverbs 16:5). 

Throughout history God has used the Law to humble people in order that they are capable of responding to His grace. Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the great English preacher of the 1800s, put it this way, “They must be slain by the Law before they can be made alive by the gospel.”   

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Jesus Christ said, “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. I am the Good Shepherd” (John 10:10-11). This is the path to “Abundant Life Now” and an eternal future with God.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW