~ Luxury Is Not Appropriate For Fools ~
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 ~ “Luxury is not fitting for a
fool, much less for a servant to rule over princes” (Proverbs 19:10).
Important
Truth ~ “The
fool has said in his heart, ‘there is no God’” (Psalm 53:1a).
~ Robert
Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT
LIFE NOW blog.
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~ A New Homeland ~
Scripture ~ “For
our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the
Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be
conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able
even to subdue all things to Himself” (Philippians 3:20-21).
Comment ~ Citizenship
identifies an individual as legally belonging to a country. Believers belong in heaven with their
Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ.
One day soon (either by physical death or Christ’s second coming to
earth) that will be a reality.
~ Robert
Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT
LIFE NOW blog.
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~ God Prays ~
This
Series ~ This
series of posts looks at some of the many attributes of God. Generally, we move in alphabetical order.
Scripture ~ “Also
there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing.
But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore
He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him,
since He always lives to make intercession for them [us]” (Hebrews
7:23-25).
“Who
is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who
is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us” (Romans
8:34).
“I
say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask,
it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together
in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:19-20).
Quote ~ “If
I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million
enemies. Yet the distance makes no difference; he is praying for me.” —Robert
Murray M’Cheyne (19th-Century Scottish Pastor)
~ Robert
Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT
LIFE NOW blog.
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~ God Provides Nuggets of Wisdom, 6 ~
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
~ “Hear, my son, and be wise; and
guide your heart in the way. Do not mix
with winebibbers, or with gluttonous eaters of meat; for the drunkard and the
glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe a man with rags”
(Proverbs 23:19-21).
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.
*****
~ A Person Of God Is Sacrificial ~
Series Note
~ There are many qualities which
God desires in His children. In this
series we will briefly cover a few of the major ones.
Scripture ~ Jesus
said, “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and
that your joy may be full. This is My
commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to
lay down one's life for his friends.
You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a
servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends,
for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and
appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should
remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one
another” (John 15:11-17).
Comment
~ Love almost always requires a
degree of sacrifice. The supreme example
of love is the sacrificial death of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on the
Cross of Calvary.
~
Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT
LIFE NOW blog.
~ In Jesus We Have The Spirit of God ~
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
~ Jesus said, “But when the
Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth
who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear
witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning” (John 15:26-27).
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.
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~ Perfume, 2 ~
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 ~ “Furthermore
you sent for men to come from afar, to whom a messenger was sent; and there
they came. And you washed yourself for them, painted your eyes, and adorned
yourself with ornaments. You sat on a stately couch, with a table prepared
before it, on which you had set My incense and My oil. The sound of a
carefree multitude was with her, and Sabeans were brought from the wilderness
with men of the common sort, who put bracelets on their wrists and beautiful
crowns on their heads. Then I said concerning her who had grown old in
adulteries, ‘Will they commit harlotry with her now, and she with them?’ Yet
they went in to her, as men go in to a woman who plays the harlot; thus they
went in to Oholah and Oholibah, the lewd women. But righteous men will judge
them after the manner of adulteresses, and after the manner of women who shed
blood, because they are adulteresses, and blood is on their hands.
“For
thus says the Lord God: ‘Bring up an assembly against them, give them up to
trouble and plunder. The assembly shall stone them with stones and execute them
with their swords; they shall slay their sons and their daughters, and burn
their houses with fire. Thus I will cause lewdness to cease from the land, that
all women may be taught not to practice your lewdness. They shall repay you for
your lewdness, and you shall pay for your idolatrous sins. Then you shall know
that I am the Lord God’” (Ezekiel 23:40-49).
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 Control Their Tongue, 2 ~
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 ~ “Better is the poor who walks in
his integrity than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool”
(Proverbs 19:1).
Note Also ~ “A fool’s
mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.
The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, and they go down into
the inmost body” (Proverbs 18:7-8).
Important
Truth ~ “The
fool has said in his heart, ‘there is no God’” (Psalm 53:1a).
~ Robert
Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT
LIFE NOW blog.
* * * * *
~ We Have New Blessings Every Day ~
Scripture ~ “Through
the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail
not. They are new every morning;
great is Your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is
my portion,’ says my soul, ‘Therefore I hope in Him’!” (Lamentations 3:22-24).
Comment ~ Those
who have been believers for a significant period of time testify to this
reality. Early in the Christian life it
is not always obvious the reality of God’s daily blessings.
~ Robert
Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT
LIFE NOW blog.
* * * * *
~ God Can Be Pleased ~
This
Series ~ This
series of posts looks at some of the many attributes of God. Generally, we move in alphabetical order.
Scripture ~ “But
as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we
speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts. For neither at
any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness
— God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from
others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ” (1 Thessalonians
2:4-6).
“Therefore
judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to
light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then
each one’s praise will come from God” (1 Corinthians 4:5).
“His
lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were
faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into
the joy of your lord’” (Matthew 25:21).
“The
Lord their God will save them in that day, as the flock of His people. For they
shall be like the jewels of a crown, lifted like a banner over His land” (Zechariah
9:16).
“‘They
shall be Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘On the day that I make them My jewels’”
(Malachi 3:17a).
Comments ~ A key
question is, “Do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men?
For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ” (Galatians
1:10).
The
Author has written an eBook entitled “GOD’S DESIRE: How To Please God” (ISBN: 978-1393211785).
Have
you ever seriously thought about not trying to displease God but rather
focusing on how to please God?
~ Robert
Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT
LIFE NOW blog.
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