Friday, March 11, 2022

Is Christ God? 10of12

 ~ Peter Called Jesus Christ God! ~

 

Scripture  ~  “Then Peter opened his mouth and said: ‘In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.  But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.  The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ — He is Lord of all — that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.  And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree.  Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.  And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead.  To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins’” (Acts 10:34-43). 

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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Thursday, March 10, 2022

Binary, 11

 ~ Separation: Wheat from Weeds ~

 

Series Comment  ~  When it comes to spiritual paths it is strictly a binary choice. 

(1)   It is a choice between the True or False.  “Jesus said to him [Thomas], ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me’” (John 14:6).  [See Post #1 in this series.]

(2)   It is a choice between Do or Done.  Jesus said, “It [the work of salvation] is finished!” (John 19:30).  Your Doing can add nothing to what Christ has Done for you.  [See Post #2 in this series.]

(3)   It is your choice between Religion or Relationship.  Religions are geared toward self-effort whereas Christianity is an intimacy with the only One who can save.  Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20).  [See Post #3 in this series.}

 

Scripture  ~  “Another parable He put forth to them, saying: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.  But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.  So the servants of the owner came and said to him, “Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field?  How then does it have tares?”  He said to them, “An enemy has done this.”  The servants said to him, “Do you want us then to go and gather them up?” But he said, “No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.  Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, ‘First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn’”’” (Matthew 13:24-30).

 

“Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house.  And His disciples came to Him, saying, ‘Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.’  He answered and said to them: ‘He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.  The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one.  The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels.  Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age.  The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire.  There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.  Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.  He who has ears to hear, let him hear!’” (Matthew 13:36-43).

 

Comment  ~  Are you part of the wheat harvest or part of the tares headed for everlasting punishment?

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW  

 

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Wednesday, March 9, 2022

God Attribute, 8

 ~ God Cannot Error ~

 

This Series  ~  This series of posts looks at some of the many attributes of God.  Generally, we move in alphabetical order.

 

Introduction  ~  As humans we all mistakes.  Some of us more often than others.  But God never makes a mistake of any kind!

 

Scripture  ~  “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).

 

Comment  ~  God is sovereign and we are not.  It is perfectly understandable that we do not understand some of the events in our lives – but we can trust the One who knows every aspect of the events in our lives and why they happen to us.  Can we not trust the details of our lives of He who created not only us but the entire universe? 

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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