Fact Check, 63

~ That’s For Sinners ~

People Think  ~  “It’s sinners that need religion.”

The Bible Says  ~  There are two problems with the implications of that statement.

First, all are sinners—including you!  “As it is written: ‘There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God.  They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one’” (Romans 3:10-12).  “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Second, religion solves nothing—what is needed is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  Religions are based on doing (present-continual tense) what is right.  Christianity is based on what Jesus Christ has done (past tense) on your behalf, and a personal relationship with the only One who never sinned.  Jesus Christ was fully God, came to this world in human form, lived a sinless life, and died for your sins, and rose from the grave—conquering death (the penalty of sin), and allows you to partake in total forgiveness by accepting His payment for your sin!  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Jesus Christ summarized it this way: “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:14-17). 

~ 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/ .

Learn From Gideon, 27

~ Although Afraid He Obeyed ~

The Biblical account of the life of Gideon provides for one of the most interesting character studies in all of Scripture.  In this series we will discover practical lessons for living the Christian life today.  

Scripture  ~  “It happened on the same night that the Lord said to him, ‘Arise, go down against the camp, for I have delivered it into your hand.  But if you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp with Purah your servant, and you shall hear what they say; and afterward your hands shall be strengthened to go down against the camp.’  Then he went down with Purah his servant to the outpost of the armed men who were in the camp” (Judges 7:9-11).

Learn From Gideon  ~  This is what faith is all about!  Even though I am fearful I trust my Savior completely. 

1. He loved you enough to die on the Cross for you—can you not trust Him with the events of your life today? 
2. Somebody came up with this FAITH acrostic:  “Forsaking All I Trust Him.”  Can you truly echo that?
3. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17).  If you lack adequate faith it may well be that you have not been spending enough time in God’s Word. 
4. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).
5. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).  What is stopping you from stepping forward in faith?

concluding comment  ~  We learn about Gideon primarily from Judges 6-8, but also Isaiah 9:1-7, and Hebrews 11:1-3, 32-34.

~ 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/ .

Bible Answer, 50

~ Did You Get It Right? ~

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~~~~ bible answer ~~~~

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question:  Where do we read of Christ’s first recorded prayer?

answer:  At the time of John baptizing Jesus.

“When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened.  And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, ‘You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased’” (Luke 3:21-22. Parallel passages are Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11, and John 1:29-34.)

~ 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/ .