God Attribute, 32

~ God Is Willing To Be Your Friend ~

 

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

 

Introduction  ~  Whether you are currently a child of God or still a sinner in God’s eyes friendship with God can be a reality. 

 

Scripture  ~  There is Good News, Bad News, and Great News.

 

The bad news is that we are all sinners (“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” -- Romans 3:23-24). 

 

The good news is that Jesus is a Friend of Sinners.  In Jesus’ own words: “The Son of Man has come …  a friend of tax collectors and sinners!” (Luke 7:34).  Will you allow Him to be your friend?

 

The great news is that 1) If you are a child of God then He allows you to choose just how intimate of a friendship you have!  2) If you are not as close to God as you once were, guess who moved! 

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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Why Trust God? 25

 ~ God Is Sovereign Over Material Goods (Exodus 12of12) ~

 

Introduction  ~  “Abundant Life Now” previously provided a list of Biblical of examples of fearing / reverencing God (217 posts).  In this current series we look at Biblical accounts that demonstrate that we can fully trust God.  Initially we posted seven general reasons for trusting God.  We are currently looking at passages from all 66 books of Scripture which demonstrate a reason for trusting our Creator. 

 

Scripture  ~  “And the Egyptians urged the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste.  For they said, ‘We shall all be dead.’  So the people took their dough before it was leavened, having their kneading bowls bound up in their clothes on their shoulders.  Now the children of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, and they had asked from the Egyptians articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing.  And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested.  Thus they plundered the Egyptians” (Exodus 12:33-36).

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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Question – Jesus, 150

~ Regarding Understanding, 2 ~

 

Introduction  ~  This series is about questions involving Jesus.  Some were asked by individuals involved with Jesus Christ while He walked on earth.  Others are questions that Jesus Christ asked others.  We will look at questions on over 160 topics (some may split into two or more posts).  Even so, it is far from an exhaustive list. 

 

Scripture  ~  “Then Peter answered and said to Him, ‘Explain this parable to us.’ 

 

“So Jesus said, ‘Are you also still without understanding?  Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated?  But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.  These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man’” (Matthew 15:15-20).

 

Other Scripture  ~  “[Jesus speaking] ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away.  So it will be at the end of the age.  The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire.  There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.’  Jesus said to them, ‘Have you understood all these things?’  They said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord’” (Matthew 13:47-51). 

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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God Is My… , 35

 ~ God Is My Provider ~

 

Introduction  ~  Previously (July 16, 2017 – January 6, 2019) ALN posted a series of 82 posts of “Jesus is…,” and then we looked exclusively at who “God is…” from the Book of Psalms (February 9, 2020 – December 5, 2021).  We are now considering “God is…” statements from non-Psalms passages. 

 

Passage  ~  “Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns.  So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son.  And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, ‘In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided’” (Genesis 22:13-14).

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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Called by God, 20

 ~ God Calls – His Resources ~

 

Series Note  ~  In the first post in this series, we considered the Universal Call to all mankind.  Then we addressed those who accepted that call.  In posts 2-5 we looked at the new responsibilities to accept the Obedience Call.  In posts 6-12 we examined some new roles of those who accepted that initial call.  In posts 13-17 we considered a sampling of specific career calls.  In posts 18-20 we listed responsibilities of those who are called.  In post 21 we will review the past posts and look forward at the next posts.  

 

Scripture  ~  “To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:1b-4).

 

“Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come” (Ephesians 1:15-21). 

 

Comment  ~  It is your Responsibility To Know God’s Resources.  Always remember, what He calls you to do, He will empowers you to do if you let Him.

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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