Direction In Life

~ Learn from Noah ~

Do you need clarity in decision-making?

The following is an excerpt from a book.

Think for a moment about the plight of every child’s Biblical hero, Noah. Picture yourself in Noah’s place and time. Can you imagine Noah striving to please the Lord in his homeland—now known as Iraq—by building a massive boat? The concept of rain was unknown, but Noah humbly obeyed the Lord. His ship was approximately 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high—relatively the same proportions as ships of that size which are built today. In order to build that ship, Noah most likely employed hundreds of laborers.

Imagine the ridicule Noah must have suffered over those many years of construction. “Hey Noah… are you sure it was God who told you do this? Did you say it was God who told you to build this monstrosity? By the way, Noah, where is the water going to come from? Maybe it was not God that told you, maybe it was a hallucination! Maybe it was someone imitating God. Good luck, Noah!”

The secret to Noah’s ultimate success was that he was confident that he knew what God wanted him to do—even though it was different than what God wanted others to do. The good news is that, like Noah, you can be used by God and rise above your circumstances by making right decisions!

In order to understand the events in the life of Job, Noah, or your own life, it is extremely helpful to understand what the Creator has in mind. To do that it is essential to understand three distinct aspects of God’s will. Without a clear understanding of each aspect, you will never be able to understand the will of God.

~ from “THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH: Understanding God’s Will for You” by Robert Lloyd Russell, pg 4  (ISBN: 9781606474303)

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

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

If you found this post personally interesting or helpful, you are welcome to add a link to it on your own blog or website. 

If you would prefer to copy this post, please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight (http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/).

Christ—Jehovah, 9of9

~ The Title “Jehovah-Sabaoth” ~

Jesus said, “I and My Father are one” (John 10:30). 

There are quite a number of Jehovah titles.  This series has focused first on the name Jehovah and then seven Jehovah- titles which embrace the fullness of Jesus Christ for His people.  These titles include the completeness of Jehovah’s name as it is manifested in the life of Jesus Christ for His people.  They titles show how the Messiah completely meets His people’s need from their guilt to their future glory. 

There is another Jehovah title which is important to consider.  It does not fit neatly into the general names of God or the covenant names of God. 

Jehovah-Sabaoth means “the Lord of hosts,” or “the Lord God of Hosts” or in today’s vernacular the Lord of armies or the Lord of multitudes.

“Then David said to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin.  But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied’” (1 Samuel 17:45).  This was certainly no empty boast on the part of young David as he came against the giant named Goliath.  David had the joy of salvation and a deep confidence in His God. 

Implication  ~  We serve the same God today.  If we are working on God’s side in His way, then He is on our side.  You and God are a majority (even without you!). 

Reference  ~  In your personal studies you may want to look at the following passages:

2 Samuel 5:10, 6:2, 18, 7:26; Psalm 48:8; Isaiah 1:24, 2:12, 3:1,15, 5:7,9,16; 6:5, 8:13, 10:23-24, 26, 33, 13:4, 18:7, 19:12, 14:24, 27, 21:10, 22:5, 12, 15, 25:6.  

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

If you found this post personally interesting or helpful, you are welcome to add a link to it on your own blog or website. 

If you would prefer to copy this post, please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight (http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/).

Messiah, 145

~ Messiah Would Not Judge By Sight ~

“Search the Scriptures—they testify of Me.”

— Jesus Christ (John 5:39)

The Scripture

“His delight is in the fear of the Lord, and He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His ears” (Isaiah 11:3). 

The Messiah  

Jesus, the Messiah, said, “Hypocrites!  Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.  And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men’” (Matthew 15:7-9). 

“He answered and said to them, ‘Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: “This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.  And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men”’.” (Mark 7:6-7). 

Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:37-40). 

~~~ 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

If you found this post personally interesting or helpful, you are welcome to add a link to it on your own blog or website. 

If you would prefer to copy this post, please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight (http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/).

2 Wonders

~ Consider 2 Great Works of Our God ~

The Work of Jesus Christ for Christians  ~  “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, His one and only Son.  And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in Him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life” (John 3:16, The Message). 

“Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: ‘Father, the hour has come.  Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him.  And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.  I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.  And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was’” (John 17:1-5).  In Jesus Christ the Christian has been made complete and is viewed without blemish by God the Father because of the Cross of Calvary.

The Work of the Holy Spirit In Christians   ~  “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:2-6). 

“But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.  And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.  But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.  Therefore, brethren, we are debtors — not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.  For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.  For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’  The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs — heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (Romans 8:9-17).  Because of the indwelling Spirit of God the Christian is progressively growing into the likeness of Jesus Christ and has a wonderful prospective ahead. 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

If you found this post personally interesting or helpful, you are welcome to add a link to it on your own blog or website.  

If you would prefer to copy this post, please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight (http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/).