~ Fools Seek Arguments ~
Series
Note ~ In
this series we look at some of the passages in the Book of Proverbs – wise
sayings that are generally true – that describe a fool from God’s perspective. Some may surprise you.
Scripture ~ “A fool’s lips enter into
contention, and his mouth calls for blows” (Proverbs 18:6).
Important
Truth ~ “The
fool has said in his heart, ‘there is no God’” (Psalm 53:1a).
~ Robert
Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT
LIFE NOW blog.
* * * * *
~ Did You Get It Right? ~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~ bible
answer ~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
question: Who was called a gluttonous man and a drunkard
in the New Testament?
answer: Jesus
Jesus
related…
“The Son of
Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a
drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds” (Matthew
11:18-19 nasu).
“The Son
of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a
winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children” (Matthew
11:19 nkjv).
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.
~ God Of Perfection ~
This
Series ~ This
series of posts looks at some of the many attributes of God. Generally, we move in alphabetical order.
Introduction ~ Jesus Christ was the only human to walk on
earth and live a sinless life.
“Seeing
then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus
the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High
Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points
tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the
throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of
need” (Hebrews 4:14-16).
Scripture ~
“As
for God, His way is perfect; the Word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to
all who trust in Him” (2 Samuel 22:31).
“As
for God, His way is perfect; the Word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield
to all who trust in Him” (Psalm 18:30).
~ Robert
Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT
LIFE NOW blog.
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~ Test Your Bible Knowledge ~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~ bible
question ~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
question: Who was called a gluttonous man and a
drunkard in the New Testament?
Please
provide your answer in the comments below!
The answer
will be provided in a future blog.
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.
* * * * *
~ 3 W’s of Christian Labor ~
Workers
for His Name ~ “Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren
and for strangers, who have borne witness of your love before the church. If
you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do
well, because they went forth for His name’s sake, taking nothing from
the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow
workers for the truth” (3 John 5-8).
Witnesses
for His Truth ~ “And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not
to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, ‘which,’
He said, ‘you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you
shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’ Therefore, when
they had come together, they asked Him, saying, ‘Lord, will You at this time
restore the kingdom to Israel?’ And He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know
times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall
receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be
witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of
the earth’” (Acts 1:4-8).
Watchers
for His Coming ~ Jesus said, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even
the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and
pray; for you do not know when the time is. It is like a man going to a far
country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his
work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. Watch therefore, for
you do not know when the master of the house is coming — in the evening, at
midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning — lest, coming
suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”
(Mark 13:35-37).
~ Robert
Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT
LIFE NOW blog.
* * * * *
~ In Jesus We Have Forgiveness, 10 ~
Introduction ~ In
this series we look at a few of the verses which state what we have when we are
“in Christ.” Consider our series theme
verse:
“God,
who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even
when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by
grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together
in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He
might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ
Jesus. For by grace you have been
saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of
works, lest anyone should boast. For we
are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God
prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:4-10).
Scripture
~ “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the
forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to
abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the
mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in
Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather
together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on
earth — in Him” (Ephesians 1:7-10).
Comment
~ I like to consider one-word
descriptions of the Bible. There are
many but my favorite is “forgiveness.”
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.
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~ Makeup, 6 ~
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 ~ “And
when you are plundered, what will you do? Though you clothe
yourself with crimson, though you adorn yourself with ornaments of gold,
Though you enlarge your eyes with paint, in vain you will
make yourself fair; your lovers will despise you; they will seek your
life.
“For
I have heard a voice as of a woman in labor, the anguish as of her who brings
forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion bewailing herself; she
spreads her hands, saying, ‘Woe is me now, for my soul is weary Because of
murderers!’” (Jeremiah 4:30-31).
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.
* * * * *
~ Fools Don’t Pursue Understanding ~
Series
Note ~ In
this series we look at some of the passages in the Book of Proverbs – wise
sayings that are generally true – that describe a fool from God’s perspective. Some may surprise you.
Scripture ~ “A fool has no delight in
understanding, but in expressing his own heart” (Proverbs 18:2).
Important
Truth ~ “The
fool has said in his heart, ‘there is no God’” (Psalm 53:1a).
~ Robert
Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT
LIFE NOW blog.
* * * * *
~ A New Way Of Thinking ~
As
a growing believer one develops a new thought life.
Scripture ~ “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).
“But
you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been
taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your
former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful
lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on
the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and
holiness” (Ephesians 4:20-24).
“But
God has revealed them to us through His Spirit.
For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except
the spirit of the man which is in him?
Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the
world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have
been freely given to us by God. These
things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the
Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the
things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know
them, because they are spiritually discerned.
But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly
judged by no one. For ‘who has known the
mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?’
But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:10-16).
Comment ~ Romans 12:2 above references “that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Those who are interested in exploring the will of God in some depth will find the author’s books on the subject very helpful.
eBook: “ GOD’S DESIRE: How To Please God” ~ ISBN: 978-1393211785, ASIN: B08H4F619W
Print
Book:
“THY WILL BE
DONE ON EARTH: Understanding God’s Will for You” ~ ISBN:
978-1606474303
~ Robert
Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT
LIFE NOW blog.
* * * * *
~ God of Peace ~
This
Series ~ This
series of posts looks at some of the many attributes of God. Generally, we move in alphabetical order.
Introduction ~ God
not only provides peace but is the Prince of Peace.
Scripture ~
“You
will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he
trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting
strength” (Isaiah 26:3-4).
“For
unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be
upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty
God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).
“And
He [Jesus] looked around to see her who had done this thing. But the woman,
fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down
before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, ‘Daughter, your
faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction’”
(Mark 5:32-34).
“These
things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the
Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all
things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I
leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to
you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. You have heard
Me say to you, “I am going away and coming back to you.” If you loved Me, you
would rejoice because I said, “I am going to the Father,” for My Father is
greater than I’” (John 14:25-28).
“Finally,
brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live
in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one
another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. The grace of the Lord Jesus
Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you
all. Amen” (2 Corinthians 13:11-14).
~ Robert
Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT
LIFE NOW blog.
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