“An Incredible Tool”

~ Book Review of “Thy Will Be Done On Earth” by The Old Schoolhouse ~

Reproduced immediately below is one of the many positive reviews the book” Thy Will Be Done On Earth” has received.

BOOK REVIEW
Thy Will Be Done On Earth by Robert Lloyd Russell

Product review by Jennifer Harrison, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine

Ever struggle with making a decision?  Generally, when I hear someone mention desiring God’s will, I think of high school graduates trying to decide on a college, singles looking for their perfect mate, or couples contemplating becoming parents—you know, the really big issues.  But the truth is, everyday decisions/struggles also fall under the blanket of God's will.  We serve an awesome God who cares just as much about our tiny moments as He does our major moments.  It’s overwhelming to recognize that the almighty Creator of the universe actively cares about which math curriculum best fits your child, and it’s a relief to realize He isn't being cryptic with His answers

Thy Will Be Done on Earth is a refreshing book that tackles the topic of God's will; more specifically, it tackles the topic of understanding God's will for you.  It is an easy read, but the material is worth chewing on slowly.  Every part of the book relies on scripture, and is very diligent to refer readers to the source of its content.  The book is divided into four sections.  The first part is an enlightening look at the three aspects of God's will: God's sovereign will (His big-picture plans for all mankind,) God's general will (His desire for mankind as laid out in Scripture,) and God's specific will (God's specific desire for you.)  These aspects are laid out as a foundation for the rest of the book to build upon.  The author even shares them in a chart for easy reference.

After the foundation has been established, Part Two discusses the “general will,” helping readers to understand the model God has lined out for us in Scripture and the importance of relationship and of obedience.  Many of us are eager to discover God’s specific plans for us without a willingness to acknowledge His sovereign will or his general will.  These first two portions of the book gently guide readers to that acknowledgement and a deeper relationship with Christ.  One of my favorite quotes from this portion sums it up well: “With Heaven in view you will not sacrifice the permanent on the altar of the immediate, and obedience will be the natural outcome.”

Part Three enters the realm of discernment and illustrates how to make decisions that consistently fall in line with God's specific will for your life.  Part Four reveals the beauty of a life lived for the glory of God, helping readers to accept the grace given for our previous decisions and to recognize the benefits of walking in God’s will.  Both sections establish a model for continuous growth in Christ.

While an excellent book for individual study, Thy Will Be Done on Earth would also make a nice book for a study group.  Short chapters are followed by Think and Grow questions that send you directly to the Bible for answers.  An appendix at the back of the book outlines a plan for creating either a 13-lesson or a 6-lesson group study.  It’s staggering to think about what could be accomplished if church groups actively and collectively sought God’s will.

Whether in a group, as a couple, or completely alone with God, Thy Will Be Done on Earth is an incredible tool as a gentle but firm-footed guide to pulling aside the shroud of mystery and walking in the freedom of God's will.

~ Review by The Old Schoolhouse Magazine

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:

There is more information about Thy Will Be Done On Earth at the author’s website. 

You may order directly from Amazon or from Xulon Press. 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

10 Tests of Faith

~ How Strong Is Your Faith? ~

The book of First John provides ten ways to examine your faith.

The Test of Our Lifestyle  ~  “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us” (1 John 1:5-10).

The Test of Our Obedience  ~  “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (1 John 2:3-6). “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:2-3).

The Test of Our Affection  ~  “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:15-17). “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5).

The Test of Our Anticipation  ~  “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:2-3).

The Test of Our Holiness  ~  “Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. … Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother” (1 John 3:7, 9-10).

The Test of Our Reception  ~  “For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother's righteous. Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you” (1 John 3:11-13). 

The Test of Love  ~  “For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another … By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:11, 16-18).

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who 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 love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us” (1 John 4:7-12).

The Test of Our Prayer  ~  “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight” (1 John 3:21-22).

The Test of Our Discernment  ~  “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:1-4).

 

The Inner Reality Test  ~  “By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit” (1 John 4:13).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Jesus Christ in the Book of Joshua

  ~ Jesus Christ is the Commander of the Army of the Lord ~

The Bible Is About Jesus Christ  ~  “Jesus said to them, ‘How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!  Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter His glory?’  And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself” (Luke 24:25-27).

The Big View  ~  Moses  gave God’s laws to Israel, but he was not allowed to enter the promised land.  A few weeks after Moses’ death, it was Joshua who led the people into the land.  The New Testament explains that God’s Law does not save us.  Instead, it condemns us and was meant to make us see our need for Jesus Christ (see Galatians 2:15—3:24).

Christ Is The Commander of the Lord’s Army  ~  In the book of Joshua we see Jesus Christ as the Captain of the Lord’s host, the Captain of our Salvation, and the victorious leader.  “And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand.  And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, ‘Are You for us or for our adversaries?’  So He said, ‘No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.’  And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, ‘What does my Lord say to His servant?’  Then the Commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua, ‘Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.’  And Joshua did so” (Joshua 5:13-15).

The Name Joshua ~ In Hebrew Joshua (Yehoshua or Yeshua) means “the Lord saves” or “Jehovah is Salvation.”  In Greek his name is translated “Jesus” and the message of the book of Joshua is that “Jesus saves.”  Note, however, that Joshua was a temporary savior and Christ is the only true Savior who saves eternally. 

Comment  ~  We have only touched the surface of Christ as seen in the book of Joshua.

additional comment:  The book of Joshua is quoted in the New Testament. “After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying: ‘Moses My servant is dead.  Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them — the children of Israel.  Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses.  From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory.  No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.  I will not leave you nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:1-5).  “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have.  For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5). 

second additional comment: On February 19, 2013 Abundant Life Now posted “Joshua: A Picture of Jesus Christ.”

The Apostle Paul told us the Scriptures present many shadows of things to come but the reality is found in Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:17). 

~~~ EXPLANATORY “JESUS CHRIST IN EVERY BOOK OF THE BIBLE” SERIES ~~~   

(1)  Approximately once a month ALN posts an overview of how Jesus Christ is seen in a specific book of the Bible.

(2)  In most cases these posts only scratch the surface regarding Jesus Christ in the particular book.

(3)  These posts will typically be in the same order as the books are found in the Bible.

(4)  These serial posts are in addition to our other ALN postings.

(5)  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

Messiah, 99

~ Messiah Would Pray For His Enemies ~

“Search the Scriptures—they testify of Me.”

— Jesus Christ (John 5:39)

The Scripture

“For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful have opened against Me, they have spoken against me with a lying tongue. They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause. In return for my love they are my accusers, but I give myself to prayer. Thus they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love” (Psalm 109:2-5).

The Messiah  

“And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do’” (Luke 23:33-34). 

~~~ 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