3 Good Looks, 2of2

~ Are You Correctly Focused? ~

Looking To The Savior (for our salvation)  ~  “And there is no other God besides Me, a just God and a Savior; there is none besides Me.  ‘Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth!  For I am God, and there is no other.  I have sworn by Myself; the Word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath” (Isaiah 45:21b-23). 

Looking To The Master (for our learning)  ~  “Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples.  And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, ‘Behold the Lamb of God!’  The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus” (John 1:35-37). 

Looking For The Coming King (for our glorification)  ~  “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works” (Titus 2:11-14). 

~ 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/ .

Grace, 3of10

~ The Target of God’s Grace ~ 

Key Scriptures  ~  “And I [the Apostle Paul] thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.  And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.  This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.  However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.  Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise,

be honor and glory forever and ever.  Amen” (1 Timothy 1:12-17). 

“For I [the Apostle Paul] am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.  But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.  Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed” (1 Corinthians 15:9-11). 

Comment  ~   The target of God’s grace is sinners.  Someone who does not recognize they are a sinner cannot receive the free and abundant grace which God offers.  Salvation cannot come to an individual who does not acknowledge and repent of their sin.  “As it is written: ‘There is none righteous, no, not one … All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:10, 23).  “But what does it say?  ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:8-9).  Once God’s free gift of salvation through the blood of His only begotten Son is accepted then God begins the transformation of the new believer. 

Contemplate This  ~  “We are [being] transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as [the grace of] God enters our lives and we become like Him” (2 Corinthians 3:18b, The Message). 

~ 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/ .

3 Good Looks, 1of2

~ How Many Directions Are You Looking? ~

Backward Look (to the Dying One)  ~  “Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth!  For I am God, and there is no other.  I have sworn by Myself; the word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath.  He shall say, ‘Surely in the Lord I have righteousness and strength.  To Him men shall come, and all shall be ashamed who are incensed against Him.  In the Lord all the descendants of Israel shall be justified, and shall glory’” (Isaiah 45:22-25). 

Upward Look (the Living One)  ~  “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2).  

Forward Look (to the Coming One)  ~  “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works” (Titus 2:11-14).

~ 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/ .