Monday, August 3, 2020

Question – Jesus, 52


~  Regarding Identity ~

Introduction  ~  This series is about questions involving Jesus.  Some were asked by individuals involved with Jesus Christ while He walked on earth.  Others are questions that Jesus Christ asked others.  We will look at questions on about 130 topics (some may split into two or more posts).  Even so, it is far from an exhaustive list. 

Scripture  ~  “Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples.  And He said to them, ‘Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.’  And they launched out.  But as they sailed He fell asleep.  And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, ‘Master, Master, we are perishing!’  Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was a calm.  But He said to them, ‘Where is your faith?’  And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, ‘Who can this be?  For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him’!” (Luke 8:22-25).
 
“After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.  Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches.  In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water.  For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.  Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years.  When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, ‘Do you want to be made well?’  The sick man answered Him, ‘Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.’  Jesus said to him, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk.’  And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.  And that day was the Sabbath.  The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, ‘It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.’  He answered them, ‘He who made me well said to me, “Take up your bed and walk”.’  Then they asked him, ‘Who is the Man who said to you, “Take up your bed and walk”?’  But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place.  Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, ‘See, you have been made well.  Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.’  The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well” (John 5:1-15).

“Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem.  And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.  Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him.  And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.  When He saw their faith, He said to him, ‘Man, your sins are forgiven you.’  And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, ‘Who is this who speaks blasphemies?  Who can forgive sins but God alone?’  But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, ‘Why are you reasoning in your hearts?  Which is easier, to say, “Your sins are forgiven you,” or to say, “Rise up and walk”?  But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins’ — He said to the man who was paralyzed, ‘I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.’  Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.  And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, ‘We have seen strange things today’!” (Luke 5:17-26).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.
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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/ .

Sunday, August 2, 2020

God Is My… (Psalms), 22


~ God Is My Fortress, 3 ~

Introduction  ~  Previously from July 16, 2017 through January 6, 2019 ALN posted a series of 60 posts of “Jesus is…,” and now we look exclusively at who “God is…” from the Book of Psalms.  While not a complete list these posts occur are in the same order they are in the Psalms. 

Passage  ~  “For You are my rock and my fortress; therefore, for Your name’s sake,
Lead me and guide me.  Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me, for You are my strength.  Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth” (Psalm 31:3-5).

Prior Passage  ~  I will love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my Rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.  I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies” (Psalm 18:1-3).

“In You, O Lord, I put my trust; let me never be ashamed; deliver me in Your righteousness.  Bow down Your ear to me, deliver me speedily; be my Rock of refuge, a fortress of defense to save me” (Psalm 31:1-2).    

Significance  ~  A fortress implies protection from enemies.  “In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:37-39).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.
Be an insider!  Sign up for his author NEWSLETTER and receive occasional news and special offers.  His books have won national and international literary awards.  Subscribe today and receive a welcome gift.  Your email will never be sold, given, or used in any other way.  You can easily unsubscribe at any time. 

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/ .

Saturday, August 1, 2020

Myth, 57


~ Life’s Been Good – God Accepts Me! ~

The False Premise  ~  Since things have gone well for me in this life God must be pleased with me. 

The Reality  ~  Jesus said, “He [God the Father] makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45b).  In other words what we experience in this life is not directly related to how God views us. 

The Warning  ~  Jesus said regarding His followers, “Do you now believe?  Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone.  And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.  These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:31-33).

Life On Earth  ~  The Christian while on earth often has more problems than the non-Christian. 

The End Result  ~  The Christian lives eternally in heaven with nothing but joy and gladness.  The non-Christian lives eternally in hell with indescribable pain.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.
Be an insider!  Sign up for his author NEWSLETTER and receive occasional news and special offers.  His books have won national and international literary awards.  Subscribe today and receive a welcome gift.  Your email will never be sold, given, or used in any other way.  You can easily unsubscribe at any time. 

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/ .