Friday, September 3, 2021

Invisible God, 5of11

 ~ Man Cannot See God’s Shape ~

Introductory Quote  ~  In the early days of space exploration one of the Russian cosmonauts returned from space and matter-of-factly stated that he hadn’t seen God! The essence of his comment was, ‘I’ve been there, done that, I didn’t see God — therefore there is no God.’

“Because God was not seen by Russian cosmonauts or our own astronauts, does that mean that God does not exist?  Does it mean that He is absent from outer space?  Or, is He present but invisible?

“We know that it is dark, very dark, in outer space.  We also are aware that outer space is full of light traveling from stars in all directions.  Only a tiny fraction of this light travels in a direction that causes it to reach our planet earth.  Space travelers do not see the light that is so abundant in space.

“The Scriptures tell us that the God who is light dwells in darkness!” (from the book: “GOD’S NATURE: Sonlight Sunlight  by Robert Lloyd Russell).

Scripture  ~  Jesus said, “If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true.  There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true.  You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth.  Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved.  He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light.  But I have a greater witness than John's; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish — the very works that I do — bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.  And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have [not]… seen His form.  But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.  You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.  But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life” (John 5:31-40).

Closing Quote  ~  As we return to Einstein’s theory of relativity, we find that as an object reaches the speed of light, dimensions in the direction of travel become zero.  This means that objects traveling at the speed of light become invisible, no matter how large they are at slower speeds.  Light defies our normal constraints of spatial dimensions.

“Although light is invisible, it is capable of manifesting itself.  We can detect the presence of light as it reveals our surroundings, and we discern the effects of light such as feeling its warmth on our skin.  It is as if we can see the unseen.

“We can utilize the effects of light in many ways.  In our era with the use of lasers mankind has harnessed the power of light to perform many wonderful tasks — from supermarket checkout procedures to critical medical operations.

“In a similar manner we do not see God, but we see the manifestations of God.  The effects of the invisible God are clearly seen.  His presence can be known.

“The key to understanding either physical or spiritual light is found in observing what it can do.  Although no one has ever seen physical light, mankind has learned a great deal about its characteristics; we have applied our knowledge in useful ways.” (from the book: “GOD’S NATURE: Sonlight Sunlight  by Robert Lloyd Russell).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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Thursday, September 2, 2021

Some Sure Things

 ~ Are Your Thoughts and Decisions Aligned With Reality? ~

Our culture has a saying: “There are only two sure things—death and taxes.”  The Word of God provides a different list of things that are sure!

Universal Death  ~  Each of us are terminal the day we are born!  “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.  To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation” (Hebrews 9:27-28).

Exposure of Sin  ~  “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23b).  “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.  To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation” (Hebrews 9:27-28).

The Truth of God  ~  “Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are His,’ and, ‘Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity’” (2 Timothy 2:19). 

The Truth of Biblical Prophecy  ~  “And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:19-21).

The Truth of Christ’s Second Coming  ~  “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly  Amen.  Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20).    

Eternity Future  ~  “This hope [literally: this certainty] we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 6:19-20).  

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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Wednesday, September 1, 2021

God Our Rock, 25

 ~ Rock of My Salvation, 3 ~

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  ~  “Oh come, let us sing to the Lord!  Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.  Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.  For the Lord is the great God, and the great King above all gods.  In His hand are the deep places of the earth; the heights of the hills are His also.  The sea is His, for He made it; and His hands formed the dry land.  Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.  For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand.

“Today, if you will hear His voice: ‘Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, as in the day of trial in the wilderness, when your fathers tested Me; they tried Me, though they saw My work.  For forty years I was grieved with that generation, and said, “It is a people who go astray in their hearts, and they do not know My ways.”  So I swore in My wrath, “They shall not enter My rest”’” (Psalm 95:1-11).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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