Faith vs. Fear

~ A Matter of Trust ~   

Christianity has many paradoxes—dueling truths. Some find such a conflict in having faith in God while having a fear of God. The “fear” of God is better considered a reverence for Him, His majesty, and deserving of our respect and trust. “Faith” in relation to Christianity could be defined as “trust.” For example, you may have faith in someone you do not know. A person may purchase something over the phone from a person they’ve never met and have faith that they will do as promised. But can you really trust a person you do not know?

Trust is a relational term. This is one reason why those who do not have a loving earthly father may find it hard to trust a  heavenly Father. We fear a person or trust a person based largely upon what we have heard and believe about that person.

Example 1  ~  Consider the account we find in Numbers 13. Moses had sent twelve men to scout out Canaan (13:17-19). Ten of the twelve came back with a negative fearful report. The result was predictable. Most of the Israelites became fearful. Later in the account we find that Joshua and Caleb, the two scouts who trusted God in that same situation, were rewarded by God and entered into the promised land. This is a beautiful picture of Christians who have trusted God and will one day enter the promised eternal New Jerusalem.

God’s people are called to trust God with their everyday life and their future. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is rewards those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6, I suggest you read the rest of Hebrews 11). 

Example 2  ~  Remember the account of the disciples out on the Sea of Galilee when the storm arose. “But He [Jesus] said to them, ‘Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?’ And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, ‘Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!’” (Mark 4:40-41).

the heart of the matter:  Bad things happen when there is a lack of trust. This all started in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve did not trust God at His word. In this account we find Satan’s first lie to mankind. 

“And the woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, “You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.”’ Then the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate” (Genesis 3:2-6).

application:  Are you fully trusting God and His Word? Are you fearful? If so, can you identify the area of your lack of trust? 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

9th Book Award

~ “GOD LIGHT Sunlight Sonlight” – Wins 4th Award ~  

GOD LIGHT: Sunlight Sonlight by Robert Lloyd Russell has been named this year’s winner in the “Religion: Non-Fiction” category of the Beverly Hills Book Awards.

Books are judged for overall excellence by judges from the publishing industry leaders including publishers, editors, writers, and book cover designers.  The awards committee stated, “GOD LIGHT: Sunlight Sonlight truly embodies the excellence that this award was created to celebrate, and we salute Robert Lloyd Russell and his fine work.”

GOD LIGHT identifies fascinating parallels and contrasts between natural and spiritual light.  The author includes practical applications of both natural and spiritual light in his thought-provoking book.

GOD LIGHT has been awarded three other awards this year.  Altogether the first three releases in Russell’s “Christian Concepts Series” have received nine awards. 

More information about this award-winning book can be found on Amazon, other retailers, as well on the author’s web page.  Robert Lloyd Russell lives in Washougal, Washington.

In Him

~ Benefits of Being In the Godhead! ~          

Those who know me sometimes comment about the way I usually end my correspondence. For many years instead of ending with “Sincerely Yours,” “Yours Truly,” or other rather traditional endings I use the closing phrase, “In Him.” It is my only “claim to fame”—that I am His child through no merit of my own! Consider some statements from Scripture about our relationship in Him.

Faith In Him  ~  “For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ” (Colossians 2:5). 

Redemption In Him  ~  “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).   

Accepted In Him  ~  “to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6). 

Rooted In Him  ~  “Rooted and built up in Him” (Colossians 2:7).   

Built Up In Him  ~  “Rooted and built up in Him” (Colossians 2:7).  

Walking In Him  ~  “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him” (Colossians 2:6).   

Complete In Him  ~  “You are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power” (Colossians 2:10). 

summary:  None of this should be surprising since, “In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9). 

Can you think of other “in Him” Scripture passages? 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Christ Is Better, 1

~ Consider Four Aspects ~

Christ Is Better Than The Prophets  ~  Jesus Christ is the ultimate Prophet! “The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear” (Deuteronomy 18:15). 

“Jesus Christ was a prophet in the full sense. Not through visions, not through ideas that had come into His head, but because He existed on the other side of death! He could tell us what heaven and hell were like. He knew it because He had been there. That’s what He Himself claimed in this passage, we read, ‘I don’t speak for Myself,’ He says, ‘I tell you what I’ve seen and heard.’ And in the third chapter of John, ‘I’ve been there and I know what I’m talking about when I speak about hell. Or when I speak about heavenly things, I know whereof I speak because I’ve been there.’  Jesus Christ is the only One who can say that, my friend, and that’s why His Word is so terribly important. So terrifyingly important.” (“JIM ELLIOT: A Christian Martyr Speaks to You”; Robert Lloyd Russell, page 104; ISBN: 9781615797646)

Christ Is Better in His Relation to God  ~  Jesus Christ is the Son of God! “Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God’” (Matthew 16:16). “The woman said to Him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming’ (who is called Christ). ‘When He comes, He will tell us all things.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am He’” (John 4:25-26).  “Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (John 6:69). 

Christ Is Better in His Speech  ~  Jesus Christ is the heir of all things! “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 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; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they” (Hebrews 1:1-4).

Christ Is Better in His Person  ~  Jesus Christ is the Creator!  “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” (John 1:3). “Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come” (Ecclesiastes 12:1a).

Jesus Christ is better! Jesus Christ came to earth to show us a better way!

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, 92

~ Messiah Would Be Honored by Kings ~

“Search the Scriptures—they testify of Me.”

— Jesus Christ (John 5:39)

The Scripture

“The kings of Tarshish and of the isles will bring presents; the kings of Sheba and Seba will offer gifts” (Psalm 72:10). “And He shall live; and the gold of Sheba will be given to Him” (Psalm 72:15a).

The Messiah  

“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.’ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: “But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.”’  Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.’ When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh” (Matthew 2:1-11).

~~~ 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