Why Trust God? 36

~ Not One Of God’s Promises Has Failed ~

 

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  ~  “Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth.  And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you.  All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed” (Joshua 23:14).

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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Question – Jesus, 163

 ~ Regarding Where, 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  ~  “But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.  Then the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, ‘Where is He?’

 

“And there was much complaining among the people concerning Him.  Some said, ‘He is good;’ others said, ‘No, on the contrary, He deceives the people.’  However, no one spoke openly of Him for fear of the Jews.

 

“Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught.  And the Jews marveled, saying, ‘How does this Man know letters, having never studied?’  

 

“Jesus answered them and said, ‘My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me.  If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.  He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.  Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law?  Why do you seek to kill Me?’

 

“The people answered and said, ‘You have a demon.  Who is seeking to kill You?’

 

“Jesus answered and said to them, ‘I did one work, and you all marvel.  Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath.  If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath?  Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment’” (John 7:10-24).

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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Apostle Paul, 3 Life Stages

 ~ Simple Overviews of Paul’s Complicated Life, 1 ~

 

In this first of a two-part post we consider three distinct stages in the Apostle Paul’s life. Each summarizes his view of the Cross of Calvary and who Jesus Christ is. 

 

Saul (unbeliever)  ~  Consider Paul’s life about 2 years after Calvary—busy causing havoc with the believers in Jesus Christ. “As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Saul asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. ‘Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do’ (Acts 9:3-6). 

 

Conversion  ~  Paul, like all true believers, experienced the reception of a new nature and both and immediate and ongoing transformation. “Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord-Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. All those who heard him were astonished and asked, ‘Isn't he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn't he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?’ Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ” (Acts 9:17-22). “But we all [Christians], with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:14). 

 

Paul (believer)  ~  Paul considered himself dead. “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain” (Galatians 2:20-21). 

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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Adornment, 1

 ~ Clothing, 1 ~

 

Series Note ~ In this series we look at some of the Scriptures which mention human physical adornment—pretty much without comment.  These posts will include clothing, head (including hair and wigs), jewelry (including accessories), makeup (including tattoos), and perfume (including incense).  It is important to note that some of these passages are culturally related to a specific culture and time period. 

 

Two Principles ~ (1) Focus on the long-term: “Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.  Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates” (Proverbs 31:30-31).

 

(2) Exercise modesty: “Women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works” (1 Timothy 2:9b-10).

 

Scripture For This Week ~ “Then God said to Jacob, ‘Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.’

 

“And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, ‘Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments.  Then let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone.’  So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods which were in their hands, and the earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree which was by Shechem” (Genesis 35:1-4). 

 

Two Keys ~ (1) “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).

 

(2) “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?  For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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O.T. Joseph Introversion

 ~ Introversion of the Life of Joseph ~ 

 

Introduction  ~  The Biblical account of the life of Joseph is recorded in Genesis 37-50.  His life is in many ways a “type” or foreshadowing of Jesus Christ (potential subject for future posts).  What follows is an outline of Joseph’s life.  

 

~1~ The beginning of the Joseph account – 37:2-11

~~2~ Jacob mourns Joseph – 37:12-26  

~~~3~ Reversals of the first born – 38:1-30

~~~~4~ Joseph enslaved in Egypt – 39:1-23

~~~~~5~ Favor and disfavor before Pharaoh – 40-41

~~~~~~6~ Joseph’s brothers journey to Egypt – 42-43

~~~~~~~7~ JOSEPH REVEALS HIMSELF TO HIS BROTHERS – 44:1-45:20

~~~~~~6~ Jacob journeys to Egypt – 45:21-46:30

~~~~~5~ Favor before Pharaoh – 46:31-47:12

~~~~4~ Joseph enslaves in Egypt – 47:13-27

~~~3~ Reversals of the first born – 47:28—49:28

~~2~ Joseph mourns Jacob – 49:29-50:14

~1~ The conclusion of the Joseph account – 50:15-26 

 

Note  ~  The origination of this particular introversion is believed to be by Greg Trull.   

 

Comment  ~  Abundant Life Now has previously published introverted outlines (or parallel outlines known as chiasms).  For those who would like to review them here are the links to those prior posts. 

Does History Repeat Itself? ~  Around and around we go! ~ January 25, 2011  

Bible Introversion  ~ Introversion Outline of the Bible ~ April 15, 2017

Bible Hourglass   ~ This Bible Outline Encompasses All Time ~ April 22, 2017

10 Commandments Today, 14of14  ~ Notice the Introversion of the Ten Commandments ~ June 28, 2018

Bible Introversion, 2 ~ Introversion Outline of the Bible, 2 ~ September 10, 2020

EXTRA: 2020 Election ~ Nation’s Historical Cycle Throughout History ~ October 21, 2020

Noah Introversion ~ The Symmetrical Account of Noah ~ January 21, 2021 

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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