Keys to Effective Living

~ Life Lessons from Amos ~

Amos was a prophet of God’s justice and righteousness and his name means “bearer” or “born of God.” While his prophecy contains the word righteousness only three times, the theme of his book can be summarized as the righteousness of God. He emphasizes that one cannot have true religion without ethics (i.e., 7:10-17) because righteousness expresses itself in everyday honesty and fair dealings.

One outline of the book of Amos is:

Introduction (1:1-2)

A series of oracles (1:3-2:16) 

A series of sermons (3:1-6:14)

A series of visions (7:1-9:10)

Conclusion (9:11-15)

Many believe the key word in the book of Amos is “threatened” and the key verse is 5:24, “But let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.” 

What can we learn in 2012 from the life of the prophet Amos? Here are a few ideas:

First, you can begin as a non-professional in whatever you have to do for God. 

Second, Amos gave us an example of someone who possessed a broad knowledge of life and the people living around him.

Third, make sure you’re working in a place of significance. In other words find out where God is working and join Him there.   

Fourth, justice is of paramount concern to God and it should be for His children.

Fifth, Amos spoke the truth even though it was not an easy message (i.e., Amos 5). 

Finally, Amos acted upon his convictions and called upon the people of his day to repent and to change their ways.

suggestion:  Take time today to read and meditate on the book of Amos.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Quote: Jim Elliot, 4

~ Witnessing ~

What is important to Satan?

The following is an excerpt from a book.

“It is precisely the resurrection which makes earth so very unimportant, my friend. That’s why it doesn’t make any difference whether or not I’ve got a good bank account, if souls aren’t being saved. That’s why I ought to be weeping, even though I’ve got good food in my belly three times a day, if souls aren’t being saved. If heaven’s not greeting people and my belly is being filled, I ought to be in tears about it.

“Earth is important no longer, because Jesus Christ is going to regard it as unimportant except as it’s related to what’s on the other side of death. And what is important is this, my friend: the souls of men. Even the king of Sodom recognized this, for when Abraham came back with the spoils from those five kings that had ravaged the cities of the flame, the king of Sodom says, ‘Take what you will, Abraham. Only give me the souls.’

“And that’s all Satan cares for, friend. Satan doesn’t care two scraps of his finger whether or not you’re rich or whether wicked men are rich. What he wants is souls. And if he can, he will get you to go to sleep because souls will perish, which is fine with him, and he doesn’t care how he does it.” 

~ from “JIM ELLIOT: A Christian Martyr Speaks to You” edited by Robert Lloyd Russell, pg 25 (ISBN: 9781615797646)

Learn more about this important book at Amazon, the Publisher, or the Author’s website. 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Messiah, 54

~ Messiah Would Be Thirsty At His Death ~

“Search the Scriptures—they testify of Me.”

— Jesus Christ (John 5:39)

The Scripture

“My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and My tongue sticks to the roof of My mouth” (Psalm 22:15a).

The Messiah  

“Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty.’ A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When He had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit” (John 19:28-30). 

“They gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink” (Matthew 27:34).

“Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink” (Matthew 27:48).

“And they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. Then they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it” (Mark 15:22-23).

“Then someone ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink, saying, ‘Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down’” (Mark 15:36).

“The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, and saying, ‘If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself’” (Luke 23:36-37).

~~~ 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.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

7 Eternal Things

~ These 7 Stand or Fall Together ~

Eternal God  ~  God is the source of all. “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, Who rides the heavens to help you, and in His excellency on the clouds. The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you, and will say, ‘Destroy!’” (Deuteronomy 33:26-27).

Eternal Redemption  ~  God is the cause of all and He has made provision for the redemption of mankind. “But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption” (Hebrews 9:11-12).

Eternal Salvation  ~  God is the cause of all and He has provided His greatest work directly on your behalf. “Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” (Hebrews 5:8-9).

Eternal Life  ~  God’s richest gift is offered freely to you. “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 6:20-23).

Eternal Inheritance  ~  God gives His children great possessions. “And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance” (Hebrews 9:15).

Eternal glory  ~  Because of the above, His children have a certain glorious future. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 5:8-11).

Eternal Fire  ~  The eternal God will not be patient with sinners indefinitely. The time will come when the unrepentant will face eternal punishment. “But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire” (Jude 5-7).

These seven eternal things are interrelated. If one is eternal, enduring forever, then so are all the others.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Jesus Christ, 8

~ Jesus Christ in Philippians ~

In the second chapter of the book of Philippians we find the three phases of Christ’s path.

From the Father to Bethlehem  ~  “Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant” (Philippians 2:6-7a). 

From the Manger to the Cross  ~  “But made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:7).

From the Grave to the Throne  ~  “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).

Each chapter of Philippians provides a different aspect of a Christian’s relationship with Jesus Christ.

Our Theme (The Gospel of Christ)  ~  “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27).

Our Employment (The Work of Christ)  ~  “Because for the work of Christ he [Epaphroditus] came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me” (Philippians 2:30).

Our Study (The Knowledge of Christ)  ~  “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8).

Our Strength (The Power of Christ)  ~  “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).  

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