Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Quote: Fellowship with God



~ How Is Your Intimacy With God? ~

Which member(s) of the Trinity should you fellowship with?

The following is an excerpt from a book.

God desires fellowship with you! In fact, you can fellowship with all three members of the Trinity! The result of such fellowship is joy. Conversely, when you are not in fellowship with God, you are depriving yourself of true joy and “the peace that passes understanding.” Restoration of intimacy renews joy. This is the experience of Christians. There can be no fullness of joy without a vital, living, dynamic, and on-going relationship with Jesus Christ. As you live in intimacy with God, God is pleased with your life.

All members of the Trinity will fellowship with you. All members of the Trinity are also involved in the three aspects of the will of God. God the Father is the member most associated with the sovereign will of God. Jesus Christ, while on earth, provided a role model for you regarding the general will of God. Jesus Christ also clearly followed the specific will of God for Him. It is the Spirit of God who is most active in guiding you with regard to the specific will of God. This will become increasing clear as the two models are developed completely.

The bottom line is that God does not desire more people seeking to love themselves more. God desires more of His people seeking to love Him more. As you become more intimate with God, you find out more of what God is like and it lifts you above your circumstances. You gain true self-worth and self-confidence because not only are you made in His image but you are becoming more like Him. The greater your God becomes, the higher your value rises.

~ from “THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH: Understanding God’s Will for You” by Robert Lloyd Russell, pgs 49-50 (ISBN: 9781606474303)
Learn more about this important book at Amazon, the Publisher, or the Author’s website. 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:
(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.
(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.
(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 
(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but 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 at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Bible Question, 12



~ Test Your Bible Knowledge  ~   

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~ bible question ~~~~
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question 12:   When and by whom was the Bible divided in chapters and verses?

Please provide your answer in the comments below!

The answer will be provided in a future blog.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:
(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.
(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.
(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 
(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but 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 at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

Monday, May 4, 2015

Identity in Christ, 18



~ I Am Identified With Christ’s Death ~

Introduction  ~  When Christians understand the various characteristics and aspects of the birthright which came with their second birth, they comprehend their identity in Christ.  Once Christians understand their identity, their destiny is also clear!  This series of “Abundant Life Now” posts will look at one of those facets each week. 

This Week’s Verse  ~  “What shall we say then?  Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?  Certainly not!  How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?  Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?  Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.  For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin” (Romans 6:1-6). 

Comment  ~  Being identified as a CHRISTian is all about identity with Christ.  The central work of Christ was His sacrificial death for sin at the Cross of Calvary.  This passage points out that baptism is a symbol of identification with Christ. 

~~~ EXPLANATORY “IDENTITY IN CHRIST” NOTES ~~~  
(1)  Each Monday ALN posts an example of Scripture’s description of aspects/characteristics of Christians—those who have personally trusted in Jesus Christ, The Messiah, as their personal Savior.
(2)  This series is not intended to be an exhaustive list.
(3)  God the Father described Himself to Moses as the great “I AM” (Exodus 3:14).  God the Son also said “I AM” (John 8:58). 
(4)  Jesus Christ is the Son of God and several times in the Gospel of John He refers to Himself as “I am.  I am the Bread of Life” (6:35-51), “I am the Light of the World” (8:12, 9:5), “I am the Door” (10:7-9), “I am the Good Shepherd” (10:11-14), “I am the Son of God” (10:36), “I am the Resurrection and the Life” (11:25), “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (14:6), “I am in the Father, and the Father in Me … Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me” (John 14:10-11), and “I am the True Vine” (15:1-5). 
(5)  Individual Christians are also sons and daughters of God.  This series will show some of the various “I am” aspects of a Christian. 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:
(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.
(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.
(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 
(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but 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 at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .