Is That In The Bible? 8

~ “Neither a Borrower Nor a Lender Be” ~

Contrary to the belief of many, this phrase (and the concept) is not found in Scripture. This is similar to the often misquoted verse “money is the root of all evil,” which actually says, “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:10).

What Does Scripture Say About Borrowing and Lending?

Perhaps the idea of not being a borrower or a lender comes from the book of Jeremiah where we read, “Then I said, ‘What sorrow is mine, my mother. Oh, that I had died at birth! I am hated everywhere I go. I am neither a lender who threatens to foreclose nor a borrower who refuses to pay—yet they all curse me’” (Jeremiah 15:10 NLT). But notice this is a personal testimony and does not condemn either proper borrowing or proper lending.

The Negative  ~  Scripture does clearly condemn taking advantage of others through power or position including charging excessive interest or refusing to pay what is owed. Consider one of several passages, “In you men accept bribes to shed blood; you take usury and excessive interest and make unjust gain from your neighbors by extortion. And you have forgotten me, declares the Sovereign Lord” (Ezekiel 22:12).

The Positive  ~  Jesus Christ Himself clearly approves of borrowing and lending and appropriate interest as He taught in His parable about money. “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest’” (Matthew 25:26-27, parallel passage in Luke 19:23-24).  

summary:  Borrowing and lending are not intrinsically wrong. But like many things, the improper use of these tools can be sinful.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

The 3R Gospel

~ Three Great Blessings from the Gospel of Jesus Christ ~

There are three major blessings associated with the work of Christ on the Cross. These are part of the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Each was obtained by Christ on your behalf at the Cross and each is part of the Gospel.

Remission of Sins by God the Son (a judicial term)  ~  “Then Peter opened his mouth and said: ‘In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all—that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: 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. And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins’” (Acts 10:34-43). 

“And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before, ‘This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,’ then He adds, ‘Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.’ Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin” (Hebrews 10:11-18). 

Reconciliation with God the Father (an accounting term)  ~  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). 

“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation” (Romans 5:6-11). 

Regeneration by the Spirit of God (a spiritual term)  ~  “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:4-7). 

“You have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the Word of God which lives and abides forever” (1 Peter 1:22-23). 

The penalty attached to the judgment of your sins has been paid by Jesus Christ. The ledger has been cleared in the books of God the Father. A totally new kind of life has been planted within through the work of God the Spirit. These three great blessings were procured at the Cross of Calvary by Jesus Christ. They are critical parts of the proclamation of the Gospel in our day. 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Jesus Christ in 2 Kings

~ Jesus Christ is the Only Perfect King ~

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).

Similar to the book of 1 Kings, we find 2 Kings presents Jesus Christ as the Perfect King.  He is the ultimate man of God and He is the Word of God.  He is the reigning sovereign One.

Notice that while the book of 2 Kings records a brief history of a few good kings, none of them were perfect kings.  We know from Scripture that one day a king would appear on the scene as the ultimate “Son of David.”  This One would stand in the courtyard of the temple and ask the religious leaders of the day some tough questions. 

“While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, ‘What do you think about the Christ?  Whose Son is He?’  They said to Him, ‘The Son of David.’  He said to them, ‘How then does David in the Spirit call Him “Lord,” saying: “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool’”?  If David then calls Him “Lord,” how is He his Son?’  And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore” (Matthew 22:41-46). 

Comment  ~  We have only touched the surface of Christ in 2 Kings.

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, 128

~ Messiah Would Be Jewish ~

“Search the Scriptures—they testify of Me.”

— Jesus Christ (John 5:39)

The Scripture

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).   

The Messiah  

“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: … So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:1, 17-18). 

~~~ 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

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Abundant Thanksgiving

~ 7 Abundant Blessings ~

It seems appropriate for the Abundant Life Blog to list some of the abundant blessings which Christians enjoy. 

We Are Saved By Abundant Grace  ~  “The law entered that the offense might abound.  But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 5:20-21). 

We Are Blessed By Abundant Mercy  ~  “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:3-5). 

We Are Energized By Abundant Life  ~  “Then Jesus said to them again, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.  All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.  I am the door.  If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.  The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.  I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly’” (John 10:7-10). 

We Are Calmed By Abundant Peace  ~  “In His days the righteous shall flourish, and abundance of peace, until the moon is no more” (Psalm 72:7).   

We Have Access To Abundant Joy  ~  “Being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again” (Philippians 1:25-26). 

We Are Satisfied By Abundance Of His Goodness  ~  “How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!  Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.  They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures.  For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light” (Psalm 36:7-9).

Our Prayers Are Answered In Abundance  ~  “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.  Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21). 

the key question:  Are you personally living in, and daily experiencing, the abundance that comes with spiritual life?  If not, why not?

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

2013 & 79811

~ 2013 and 79811 Are Unusual Thanksgivings! ~

Unique  ~  Thanksgiving Day 2013 will be the very first Thanksgiving Day in United Stated history when the first day of Hanukkah (Feast of Dedication) and Thanksgiving Day occur on the same day.  This will not happen again until the year 79811. 

Why?  ~  In the United States Thanksgiving Day is always the fourth Thursday in November—which means the latest it can be is November 28 (like it is this year).  The earliest day that the first day of Hanukkah can occur is November 28. 

The last time these two holidays coincided was in 1861—however, Thanksgiving Day was not established until 1863 by President Lincoln.  

The Jewish lunar calendar is a tiny bit out of sync with our solar calendar.  The earliest the first day of Hanukkah will be for many future years is November 29.  Eventually the two holidays will merge again—but not until the year 79811.

Implications  ~  Consider two: (1) In many Jewish homes the mashed potatoes of Thanksgiving will be replaced with potato pancakes (latkes) of Hanukkah.  (2) As we Christians celebrate our gratitude with Thanksgiving, what a wonderful time it provides for rededicating ourselves to our Lord and Savior in the spirit of the Feast of Dedication.

Conclusion  ~  If you believe, as I do, that our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ—The Messiah, will return long before the year 79811, this year will be the only time we will be able to say “Happy Thanksgivukkah!” 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW