Contrast, 1

 ~ Contrast: Good Shepherd or False Prophet ~

 

Series Comment ~ The Scripture contains many contrasts.  In this series we look briefly at some of them.  Just like in our “Binary” series many of these contrasts represent a choice of this or that.

 

Scripture 1 ~ Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd.  The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.  But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.  The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.  I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.  As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.  And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd” (John 10:11-16).

 

Scripture 2 ~ “Now when they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus, who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man.  This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the Word of God.  But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.  Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, ‘O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?  And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time’” (Acts 13:6-11).

 

Comment ~ Be very careful about who you listen to.  The best policy is to be like the Bereans.  “Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea.  When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.  These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.  Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men” (Acts 17:10-12).

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW 

 

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God Attribute, 39

 ~ God Heals ~

 

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

 

Introduction  ~  Those who are acquainted with the four Gospels in the New Testament are well aware of numerous recorded miracles performed by Jesus Christ while on earth.  Many of these miracles involved physical healing of individuals.  God also performs miracles in many other ways including those with emotional or mental problems.  The best news is that God is available to you!

 

Scripture  ~  “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.  The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.  Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all” (Psalm 34:17-19).

 

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3).

 

“There He made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there He tested them, and said, ‘If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians.  For I am the Lord who heals

You’” (Exodus 15:25-26).

 

In a future day ~ “Moreover the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the Lord binds up the bruise of His people and heals the stroke of their wound” (Isaiah 30:26).

 

Comment  ~  Perhaps the biggest healing of all is when a sinner comes to Jesus Christ as their Savior and they are transformed from a sinner to a saint in God’s eyes.  They move from utter poverty to a joint heir of Christ to all that exists!  Do you know the peace that comes from that transaction?

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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Why Trust God? 30

 ~ The Trespass Offering (Leviticus 5of8) ~

 

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 purpose of the Trespass Offering (or Guilt Offering) was to make reparations for one’s personal sin.  Therefore, this offering had a specific monetary value, and one who owed another on account of a debt due to a sin could repay it in silver rather than by sacrificing a ram (5:15).

 

“If a person sins in hearing the utterance of an oath, and is a witness, whether he has seen or known of the matter — if he does not tell it, he bears guilt.

 

“Or if a person touches any unclean thing, whether it is the carcass of an unclean beast, or the carcass of unclean livestock, or the carcass of unclean creeping things, and he is unaware of it, he also shall be unclean and guilty.  Or if he touches human uncleanness — whatever uncleanness with which a man may be defiled, and he is unaware of it — when he realizes it, then he shall be guilty.

 

“Or if a person swears, speaking thoughtlessly with his lips to do evil or to do good, whatever it is that a man may pronounce by an oath, and he is unaware of it — when he realizes it, then he shall be guilty in any of these matters.

 

“And it shall be, when he is guilty in any of these matters, that he shall confess that he has sinned in that thing; and he shall bring his trespass offering to the Lord for his sin which he has committed, a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats as a sin offering.  So the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin.

 

“If he is not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring to the Lord, for his trespass which he has committed, two turtledoves or two young pigeons: one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering.  And he shall bring them to the priest, who shall offer that which is for the sin offering first, and wring off its head from its neck, but shall not divide it completely.  Then he shall sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar, and the rest of the blood shall be drained out at the base of the altar.  It is a sin offering.  And he shall offer the second as a burnt offering according to the prescribed manner.  So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf for his sin which he has committed, and it shall be forgiven him.

 

“But if he is not able to bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, then he who sinned shall bring for his offering one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a sin offering.  He shall put no oil on it, nor shall he put frankincense on it, for it is a sin offering.  Then he shall bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it as a memorial portion, and burn it on the altar according to the offerings made by fire to the Lord.  It is a sin offering.  The priest shall make atonement for him, for his sin that he has committed in any of these matters; and it shall be forgiven him.  The rest shall be the priest’s as a grain offering” (Leviticus 5:1-13).

 

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.

 

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