7 Keys to Consistency

~ Steadiness in the Christian Life ~

Many today are searching for stability in their chaotic lives. In seven short verses of 1 Thessalonians 5 we are provided a straightforward seven-part formula for consistency and stability in our lives on earth. 

Consistent Prayer  ~ “Pray continually” (5:17).  Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ said, “Men always ought to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1). 

Consistent Thanksgiving  ~ “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus” (5:18). “Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20-21). 

Consistent Response  ~  “Do not put out the Spirit's fire” (5:19). “Don't cause the Holy Spirit sorrow by the way you live. Remember, He is the one who marks you to be present on that day when salvation from sin will be complete” (Ephesians 4:30).

Consistent Learning  ~  “Don't stifle those who have a word from the Master” (5:20, The Message). “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15-16).

Consistent Evaluation  ~  “Test everything. Hold on to the good”(5:21). This is the secret to spiritual maturity, “The mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil” (Hebrews 5:14b). 

Consistent Purity  ~  “Avoid every kind of evil” (5:22). Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8). “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word” (Psalm 119:9).

Consistent Joy  ~  “Be joyful always” (5:16). In the future this will be possible to the ultimate degree. “God will wipe every tear from our eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4).  

Summary  ~  “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it” (5:16-24).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

God: Father & Son

~ The Father’s Fourfold Testimony ~   

Jesus Christ came to earth from heaven on a mission. He was sent by God the Father. He and His Father maintained close communion while He was on earth—except for that terrible period on the Cross when He died for your sins and my sins.

The Father Anointed Him At His Baptism  ~  “When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, ‘You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased’” (Luke 3:21-22).

The Father Was With Him In His Service  ~  “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him” (Acts 10:38).

The Father Raised Him From The Grave  ~  “Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. But God raised Him from the dead. He was seen for many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people” (Acts 13:29-31).

The Father Ordained Him As The Judge  ~  “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31). 

One day we will all be judged. Sinners will be judged for their sin and rewarded (negative judgment) with eternal punishment. Believers will be judged according to their works and rewarded (positive judgment) for their lives as a believer on earth.

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

Messiah, 80

~ Messiah Would Ascend to Heaven, 2 ~

“Search the Scriptures—they testify of Me.”

— Jesus Christ (John 5:39)

The Scripture

“You have ascended on high, You have led captivity captive; You have received gifts among men, even from the rebellious, that the Lord God might dwell there” (Psalm 68:18). 

The Messiah  

“And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen” (Luke 24:50-53).

“Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven’” (Acts 1:9-11). 

~~~ 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

Myth: Love Yourself First

~ You Can’t Love Others Unless You Love Yourself? ~

Pop-psychology has made this myth popular in our society—and the concept has even been accepted by many Christians.

question:  Is this a Biblical concept?

answer:  A resounding “NO!” In fact, the Scriptures warn against loving oneself.

For example, “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was” (2 Timothy 3:1-9). 

negative:  The Bible indicates that part of man’s problem is that we love ourselves too much at the expense of others. Natural man is selfish, self-centered, and unkind. If you doubt this, observe a young child! Humans only learn to love genuinely when they experience the love of God toward them.

positive:  The Bible presents a better way. “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who [truly] loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

“No one has seen God at any time. If we [truly] love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

“Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.

“If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also” (1 John 4:7-21).

While on earth, Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).

conclusion:  “If there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:1-5). 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW