How Are You?

~ Do You Always Answer Accurately? ~

Have you ever truly reflected on “How are you doing?”  Whether, or not, you are getting what you deserve out of life?  Take the challenge to reflect on these questions.

Background  ~  According to the Word of God, “All [including you and me] have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

What You Deserve  ~  According to God all [including you and me] are spiritually dead in our sin (Ephesians 2:1).  “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a).  Spiritual death inevitably leads to physical death and an eternity separated from God.

There Is A Valuable Option  ~  In spite of our [including you and me] sinful condition, God has provided a way for each of us [including you and me] to individually choose a resurrected spiritual life and an eternity with God.  The Messiah said, “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Your Binary Status  ~  The most important fact regarding your condition is that you are right now in one of two conditions.  Under the judgment of eternal separation from God or because of a specific action on your part now reunited for eternity with the Author of Life (Acts 3:15, niv)—Jesus Christ.  But to be reunited takes a deliberate decision on your part.  If you have made the decision to accept the Messiah as your Savior then this is how God describes you present condition:

“You He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, …  But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:1, 4-9).

Conclusion  ~  A correct answer to the question “How are you doing?” is “Far better than I deserve!”

~ 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/).

Why Christ Came, 1of4

~ Reasons Why Jesus Came—Specific Missions ~ 

Consider four specific missions which Jesus Christ came to earth to fulfill.

He Came To Bear Witness To The Truth  ~  “Pilate therefore said to Him, ‘Are You a king then?’  Jesus answered, ‘You say rightly that I am a king.  For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth.  Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.’  Pilate said to Him, ‘What is truth?’  And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, ‘I find no fault in Him at all’” (John 18:37-38). 

He Came To Do The Will Of His Father  ~  Jesus said, “I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 6:38). 

He Came To Demonstrate God’s Love  ~  “This is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10).

He Came To Send Us  ~  “So Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace to you!  As the Father has sent Me, I also send you’” (John 20:21).

The bottom line is He came for our benefit.

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, 164

~ Messiah Would Heal The Deaf ~

“Search the Scriptures—they testify of Me.”

— Jesus Christ (John 5:39)

The Scripture

“In that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book…” (Isaiah 29:18a).

The Messiah  

“Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: the blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.  And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me’” (Matthew 11:4-6).

“And He [Jesus] was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah.  And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.’  Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down.  And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him.  And He began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing’” (Luke 4:17-21).

The Future Complete Fulfillment

This prophecy is primarily directed at a future time—however, as seen above, there can be no denying that the Son of God—The Messiah—foreshadowed the future complete fulfillment.

~~~ 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/).