God Is My… , 40

 ~ God Is My Husband ~

 

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  ~  “For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is His name; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth” (Isaiah 54:5).

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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Called by God, 25

~ The Call of Isaiah ~

 

Introduction ~ Posts 1 – 21 (beginning on April 16, 2022) of this series looked at aspects of the Christian calling.  Specifically, we viewed the calling of God from three aspects.  First there is the Universal Call to all mankind for salvation.  Second there is the call that all Christians receive—the Obedience Call.  Finally, there is a call which all Christians receive, but sadly few accept, the Career Call. 

 

Beginning in post 22 we started looking at Biblical examples of God calling an individual. 

 

Scripture ~ “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’  Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me.’

 

“And He said, ‘Go, and tell this people: “Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.”  Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and return and be healed.’

 

“Then I said, ‘Lord, how long?’  And He answered: ‘Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, the houses are without a man, the land is utterly desolate, the Lord has removed men far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land.  But yet a tenth will be in it, and will return and be for consuming, as a terebinth tree or as an oak, whose stump remains when it is cut down.  So the holy seed shall be its stump’” (Isaiah 6:8-13).

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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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.

 

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