Conscience, 25

 ~ Summary: The Big Four Emotions ~

 

Series Note ~ The conscience plays a crucial role in human behavior.  The Scripture has much to say about our conscience.  In posts 1—20 of this series, we looked at various descriptions of conscience.  Beginning in post 21 we look at factors that have a very negative impact on our consciences. 

 

Comment ~ In our last four posts in this series we have looked at the Big Four emotional items that defile our consciences.  Let’s recap those four. 

 

Anger (you owe me) ~ At the heart of most anger is the feeling that I have been wronged and hence you owe me.  There is a desire to even the score. 

Greed (I owe me) ~ At the base of greed is the belief that I deserve more. 

Guilt (I owe you) ~ At the foundation of guilt is that I have done wrong and owe you an apology, recompense, or something. 

Jealousy (life owes me) ~ At the core of jealousy is you have something I believe I should have and I should be entitled to it.  I deserve it more than you do. 

 

Solution ~ All four of these degraders can be countered by constant communication with God.

 

Scripture ~ Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.  Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.  You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.  Abide in Me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

 

“I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.  If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.  By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

 

“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.  If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love” (John 15:1-10).

 

Comment ~ These Big Four emotions are far from an exhaustive list of conscience degraders.  For example, others include impure thoughts, thievery, and many others. 

 

Questions ~ Where are you abiding?  Is a change suggested?

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

* * * * *

Binary, 34

 ~ Binary: Application ~

 

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 and #32 in this series.]

 

Important Note  ~  We are currently in a binary sub-series of quoting short sections from books that draw parallels between physical light (the sun) and spiritual light (the Son) by Robert Lloyd Russell.

 

Quote  ~  We have looked at various reactions to light that are binary (there are many other binary pairs that could be reviewed). You can be either attracted or repelled by the true light of this world. You choose to mock or listen. Light can be either protective or convicting. Your heart can be softened; or by refusing to respond, you can be hardened by the truth. Divine light should cause cleansing; but if you refuse to hearken, it allows further rotting. The choice is to emit the sweet aroma of Jesus Christ or a rotten stench. Your response to light, physical or spiritual, is either that of growth or ultimate death.

 

You choose to believe the One who is Truth, or you can believe in any of many false prophets. Einstein once remarked, “God doesn’t play dice.” In the final analysis it is your choice.

 

The final result is also binary: hell or heaven, a child of darkness or a child of light, in the book of death or in the book of life, eternal regret and punishment or everlasting wonder and joy beyond anything that we can imagine.

 

Reference  ~  We are now in the process of quoting short sections from the ebook: “GOD’S NATURE: Sonlight Sunlight” (https://books2read.com/GodsNature).

 

Also from the print book: “GOD LIGHT: Sunlight Sonlight” (https://booksrlr.com/printbooks/god-light-sunlight-sonlight/).  ­­­­­­­­­­

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW 

 

*****

God Attribute, 36

 ~ God Is Gracious ~

 

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

 

Introduction  ~  The Biblical meaning of the word “grace” is to receive something good that you do not deserve.

 

Scripture  ~  And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty” (Exodus 34:6-7a).

 

“But the Lord was gracious to them, had compassion on them, and regarded them, because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not yet destroy them or cast them from His presence” (2 Kings 13:23).

 

“For if you return to the Lord, your brethren and your children will be treated with compassion by those who lead them captive, so that they may come back to this land; for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn His face from you if you return to Him” (2 Chronicles 30:9).

 

“They refused to obey, and they were not mindful of Your wonders that You did among them.  But they hardened their necks, and in their rebellion they appointed a leader to return to their bondage.  But You are God, ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abundant in kindness, and did not forsake them” (Nehemiah 9:17).

 

“But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth” (Psalm 86:15). 

 

“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy” (Psalm 103:8).

 

Comment  ~  “Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious” (1 Peter 2:1-3).

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

* * * * *

Why Trust God? 28

 ~ The Peace Offering (Leviticus 3of8) ~

 

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. 

 

Note  ~  In chapters 1—5 of the Book of Leviticus God establishes a detailed set of sacrifices that enabled His people to worship Him.  Following that He gave additional laws and rules for His people to follow.  God’s directions to His people throughout the centuries have always been for the good of His people.  He is in complete control and He cares for us, therefore we can trust Him! 

 

Scripture  ~  The entire chapter 3 of Leviticus is about the Peace Offering.  It’s purpose was the consecration of a meal between two or more parties and God.  It was the sharing of a meal together in fellowship emphasizing peace and a commitment to each others.

 

“When his offering is a sacrifice of a peace offering, if he offers it of the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the Lord.  And he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the tabernacle of meeting; and Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall sprinkle the blood all around on the altar.  Then he shall offer from the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire to the Lord.  The fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, the two kidneys and the fat that is on them by the flanks, and the fatty lobe attached to the liver above the kidneys, he shall remove; and Aaron’s sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt sacrifice, which is on the wood that is on the fire, as an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord.

 

“If his offering as a sacrifice of a peace offering to the Lord is of the flock, whether male or female, he shall offer it without blemish.  If he offers a lamb as his offering, then he shall offer it before the Lord.  And he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering, and kill it before the tabernacle of meeting; and Aaron’s sons shall sprinkle its blood all around on the altar.

 

“Then he shall offer from the sacrifice of the peace offering, as an offering made by fire to the Lord, its fat and the whole fat tail which he shall remove close to the backbone.  And the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, the two kidneys and the fat that is on them by the flanks, and the fatty lobe attached to the liver above the kidneys, he shall remove; and the priest shall burn them on the altar as food, an offering made by fire to the Lord.

 

“And if his offering is a goat, then he shall offer it before the Lord.  He shall lay his hand on its head and kill it before the tabernacle of meeting; and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle its blood all around on the altar.  Then he shall offer from it his offering, as an offering made by fire to the Lord.  The fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, the two kidneys and the fat that is on them by the flanks, and the fatty lobe attached to the liver above the kidneys, he shall remove; and the priest shall burn them on the altar as food, an offering made by fire for a sweet aroma; all the fat is the Lord’s.

 

“This shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings: you shall eat neither fat nor blood” (Leviticus 3).

 

Closing Comment  ~  The importance of blood is a reoccurring theme in the Book of Leviticus.  In Chapter 17 the sanctity of Blood is the subject.  Note for those wishing to look deeper at the blood of Christ consider the eBook entitled: “CHRIST’S BLOOD: 7+ Amazing Benefits” (https://books2read.com/ChristsBlood) by Robert Lloyd Russell. 

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

*****