Quiet, 3of4

 ~ Quiet Can Be Good—There Are Times To Be Quiet ~

Principle  ~  “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven  …  A time to keep silence, and a time to speak” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 7b). 

New Testament Examples  ~  Jesus said, “When you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly” (Matthew 6:6).

“But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia.  But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more; that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing” (1 Thessalonians 4:9-12).

“Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

“Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear.  Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God” (1 Peter 3:1-4).

“For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies.  Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread” (2 Thessalonians 3:11-12).

“So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20). 

Old Testament Examples  ~  “For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: ‘In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength.’  But you would not, and you said, ‘No, for we will flee on horses.’—Therefore you shall flee!  And, ‘We will ride on swift horses.’—Therefore those who pursue you shall be swift!” (Isaiah 30:15-16). 

“The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever” (Isaiah 32:17).

“Thus Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted their heads no more.  And the country was quiet for forty years in the days of Gideon” (Judges 8:26). 

Summary  ~  Sometimes it is best to be silent.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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Trinity In Leadership

 ~ Tri-Leadership Team ~

The one true God is a Triune God of three distinct personalities.  All three members of the Triune God are key in leading the Christian.

Father God  ~  “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.  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:1-4).

Jesus Christ  ~  “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?’” (Matthew 16:24-26).

Holy Spirit  ~  “Nevertheless I tell you the truth.  It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.  And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.  I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.  However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.  He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you” (John 16:7-14).

Comment  ~  ALN has previously published two postings regarding our Lord’s call to follow – “Follow Me” regarding the emblem of the United States Army Infantry Center (June 29, 2010, and “Follow Me, 2” (April 27, 2017).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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God Our Rock, 18

 ~ My 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  ~  “Truly my soul silently waits for God; from Him comes my salvation.  He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.  How long will you attack a man? You shall be slain, all of you, like a leaning wall and a tottering fence.  They only consult to cast him down from his high position; they delight in lies; they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly.  Selah.

“My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him.  He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved.  In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.  Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us” (Psalm 62:1-8).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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