Saturday, May 19, 2012

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

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

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

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Quote: Your Dreams


~ Do You Need To Get Back On Track? ~

Has life turned out differently than you anticipated?

The following is an excerpt from a book.

What happened to your dreams? How did they get sidetracked? Most importantly, how can you still fulfill your dreams and God’s desires for you?

“Live life, then, with a sense of responsibility, not as men who do not know the meaning and purpose of life but as those who do. Make the best use of your time, despite all the evil of these days. Don’t be vague but grasp firmly what you know to be the will of God” (Ephesians 5:15-17 Phillips). In this passage the Apostle Paul clearly states “what you know to be the will of God.” Before you can “grasp firmly” the will of God, you must understand the will of God. This is what the rest of the book will provide—illustrations that show you how to live closer to the Creator’s ideal for your life. It will also make it much easier to confidently make the right decisions in your future.

I believe that the greatest, most glorious thing any of us can ever do is to glorify God by obeying His will for us.

~ from “THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH: Understanding God’s Will for You” by Robert Lloyd Russell, pgs 10-11 (ISBN: 9781606474303)
Learn more about this important book at Amazon, the Publisher, or the Author’s website. 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Messiah, 45


~ Messiah Would Be Lower Than Angels ~

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

The Scripture
“You made Him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned Him with glory and honor” (Psalm 8:5).

The Messiah  
But one testified in a certain place, saying:What is man that You are mindful of him, or the Son of Man that You take care of Him? You have made Him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned Him with glory and honor, and set Him over the works of Your hands. 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. But now we do not yet see all things put under Him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:6-9). 

~~~ 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

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

7 Traits of a Godly Mother


~ The Proverbs 31 Mother ~

A Godly woman is a precious thing in God’s eyes! Consider some aspects of such a woman described in the epilogue of the Book of Proverbs. This passage begins by noting how difficult it is to find such a woman. “Who can find?” (verse 10).

She Portrays Excellence in All Her Activities ~ She is an ideal person of wisdom and insight in all her activities. She is the person personified in much of Proverbs as wisdom and is here identified as “a virtuous woman” (verse 10).

She Works Hard on Behalf of Others ~ She not only works hard but has acquired significant skills along the way. She enjoys her work and finds fulfillment in her life. “She rises early” (verse 15).

She is a Frugal Shopper ~ What a remarkable description considering the treatment of women in the day in which Solomon wrote this! “She considers a field” (verse 16).

She Produces Quality Output ~ Perhaps she is an entrepreneur with a cottage industry. Maybe she home schools her children. Whatever her activities, she seems to be able to function effectively and independently. “Her output is good” (verse 18).

She is Caring and Compassionate ~ She not only cares for her family but finds time to care for and serve others who are less fortunate. She “gives to the poor” (verse 20).

She Contributes to the Family Financial Position ~ This is already seen in previous traits (such as her frugal shopping) but here the implication is greater than the example given of sewing. “She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies sashes for the merchants” (verse 24).

She has True Insight ~ Interesting in light of all the content in the Book of Proverbs about the use and misuse of speech that this woman knows how to choose her words carefully and fitly for the occasion. “Opens her mouth with wisdom” (v. 26). 

And what is the end result? Her husband trusts her (verse 11). She has earned and receives praise and respect from not only her husband but also her children. She is truly blessed and fulfilled in her life. “Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her” (verse 28). 

This epilogue of Proverbs describes the ideal woman. What a challenge for all who would seek to be truly a woman of God!

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW