Black Friday

 ~ A Pivot Point In Human History ~

 

Scripture  ~  “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.  But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:4-5.

 

In The Dark  ~  There was darkness in the natural sense as well as spiritually. 

 

Natural Darkness  ~  “Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.  And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ which is translated, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’” (Mark 15:33-34).

 

Spiritual Darkness  ~  The disciples had put their faith in Jesus.  Now everything had ended in a way that seemed to destroy their faith.  What was Saturday like for them? 

 

They did not have the hindsight that we have! 

 

Comment  ~  The disciples did not understand on that black Friday what we now know.  It was yet to be realized that dark Friday’s tragedy would be overruled by the dazzling brilliance of Sunday’s triumph.  We now know that this Saturday is the only day since the crucifixion during which no one believed Jesus to be alive. 

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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Binary, 15

 ~ Binary Ancestry: First Adam or Second Adam ~

 

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  ~  “Therefore, just as through one man [the first Adam] sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned — (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.  Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him [The Messiah, Jesus Christ] who was to come.  But the free gift is not like the offense.  For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many [not everyone].  And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned.  For the judgment which came from one offense [The First Adam] resulted in condemnation, but the free gift [from The Second Adam] which came from many offenses resulted in justification.   For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)  Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.  For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many [not all] will be made righteous.   Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound . But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 5:12-21).

 

Comment  ~  Your physical birth was into the family of the First Adam.  When you are born spiritually – “born again” – you are born into the Second Adam.

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW  

 

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God Attribute, 12

 ~ God Cannot Misunderstand ~

 

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

 

Introduction  ~  “Ah, Lord God!  Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm.  There is nothing too hard for You” (Jeremiah 32:17-18).

 

Part of the reason that God cannot misunderstand is that He is the Creator of all things.  Since He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and present everywhere simultaneously He cannot misunderstand. 

 

God not only understands our situations and our reactions to them but He also knows our thoughts and motivations.  Even when we want to do right but fail anyway, He understands.

 

“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him.  For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart’” (1 Samuel 16:7).

 

Scripture  ~  “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!  ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord?  Or who has become His counselor?  Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him?’  For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever.  Amen” (Romans 11:33-36).

 

Comment  ~  Do you have all your sins forgiven – past, current, and future?  If not, you could settle that now. 

 

“Who Himself [Jesus Christ] bore our sins [including yours] in His own body on the tree [the Cross of Calvary], that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness — by whose stripes you were healed.  For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” (1 Peter 2:24-25).

 

Questions  ~  Have you made that decision to accept the gift of forgiveness of all your sins and eternal life? 

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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