3 Blessings

 ~ 3 Great Blessings of John 10:9 ~

Prolog  ~  If you are a true believer in Jesus Christ you have these three tremendous blessings—and many more! 

Salvation  ~  Jesus said, “I am the door.  If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.  The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.  I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.  ‘I am the good shepherd.  The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep’” (John 10:9-11).

“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 2:8-9).  

Freedom  ~  Jesus said, “I am the door.  If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.  The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.  I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.  ‘I am the good shepherd.  The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep’” (John 10:9-11).

“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22-23).  “Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.  Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach” (Hebrews 13:12-13).

Sustenance  ~  Jesus said, “I am the door.  If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.  The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.  I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.  ‘I am the good shepherd.  The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep’” (John 10:9-11).

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.  He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake” (Psalm 23:1-3).

Epilog  ~  This passage of Scripture (John 10:10-11) is the theme verse of the Abundant Life Now blog. 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

* * * * *

God Our Rock, 9

 ~ God Is The Only Rock ~

Introduction  ~  In Matthew 7:24-27 and Luke 6:47-49 Jesus relates the importance of building your house upon rock rather than sand.  This principle is even more critical when it comes to our spiritual life.  Each post in this series looks at a different Biblical passage which refers to our God as a Rock (not a complete list). 

Scripture  ~  “For who is God, except the Lord?  And who is a rock, except our God?  God is my strength and power, and He makes my way perfect.  He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places” (2 Samuel 22:32-34).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

* * * * *

Spiritual Gifts, 16

 ~ The Spiritual Gift of Helps ~

Opening Comment  ~  “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.  Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures” (James 1:16-18). 

Serving Gifts  ~  Within the Service Sector we compare the Spiritual Gift of Serving with non-profit organizations in society.  The Gift of Going / Mercy is likened to Missionaries, while the Gift of Helps could be likened to food banks and similar organizations. 

Definition  ~  “The God-given ability to see tasks and to do them for or with someone in order to lift external burdens” –Pastor Loren Fischer

Scripture  ~  “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.  And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues” (1 Corinthians 12:27-29).

“Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness” (Romans 12:6-8).

Examples  ~  In today’s world this includes kitchen workers (cooking, baking, etc.) for others.  It includes sewing as a ministry for others.  Ushering for the body of Christ is a help spiritual gift, as is setting up chairs and tables.  Providing transportation for others certainly falls into this category.

Biblical Example  ~  “At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas.  This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did.  But it happened in those days that she became sick and died.  When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.  And since Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them.  Then Peter arose and went with them.  When he had come, they brought him to the upper room.  And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them” (Acts 9:36-39).

Traits  ~  Those with the gift of helps typically, 1) enjoy working on a job (but may expect to be told exactly what the task requires), 2) sometimes find it difficult to stick with a long project without frequent encouragement, 3) tend to prefer routine duties where the responsibility is clearly specified, 4) take orders well and support projects (but seldom assume leadership), and 5) do things without help (but often finds it difficult to accept from others). 

Closing Comments  ~  “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.  Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.  Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.  Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.  Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine.  Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:12-16).

“Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.  For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:6-7).

“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

* * * * *