Satan in Matthew 4, 8of9

~ Satan Expects A Payoff ~

 

Series Note:  Matthew 4 is a well-known chapter which gives an account of Satan tempting Jesus Christ in the wilderness.  There has been a lot written and discussed regarding these three temptations (the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life). 

 

While the study of Matthew 4 is a rich study regarding our Savior Jesus Christ it also allows us to have insight into some of Satan’s abilities and actions.  This series contains nine examples which make it clear that Satan is a real personality. 

 

Scripture ~ “Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.  And he said to Him, ‘All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me’ (Matthew 4:8-9).

 

Comment ~ Obeying Satan always comes with a cost!  Obeying Christ also comes with a cost.  The key is choosing who you will obey.

 

Joshua understood the implications of who a person chooses to serve.

 

"Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt.  Serve the Lord!  And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.  But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:14-15).

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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Newness In Christ, 3

~ A New Person ~

 

Scripture  ~  “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).

 

Comment  ~  The new life we receive as a result of being born again (spiritual life) is the seed towards a whole new person including their personality, temperament, and so forth.  While with their physical life they received natural talents now with spiritual life they are graciously given spiritual gifts.

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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God Attribute, 92

~ Provider ~

 

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

 

Introduction  ~  God provides for both our physical and mental needs.

 

Scripture  ~  Physical:

 

Jesus said, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

 

“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

 

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:25-34).

 

Mental:

 

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5-6).

 

Comment  ~  Jesus does ask us to ask Him for our needs. “He said to them, ‘When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread”’” (Luke 11:2-3).

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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Behind The Scenes

 ~ History In The Making ~

 

Question ~ Which writer of the Bible was truly unique from the others and how would you describe him?

 

Answer ~ “For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’  And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:17-21 kjv). 

Our conclusion then is that the most important author of the Bible was the first known ghost writer.

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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Traits Of A Godly Person, 12

~ A Person Of God Is A Prayer Warrior ~

 

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  ~  “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.  The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.  Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.  And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit” (James 5:16-18).

 

“‘For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.  Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your Word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.’

 

“And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the Word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:27-31).  

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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In Jesus We Have… , 40

~ In Jesus We Have Eternal Life, 5 ~

 

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).

 

Currently we are posting some of the many verses which talk about eternal life?

 

What is your definition of “eternal”?

 

Scripture ~ “And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, ‘Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?’

 

“He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?’

 

“So he answered and said, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’

 

 “And He said to him, ‘You have answered rightly; do this and you will live’” (Luke 10:25-28).

 

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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Satan in Matthew 4, 4of9

 ~ Satan Speaks ~

 

Series Note:  Matthew 4 is a well-known chapter which gives an account of Satan tempting Jesus Christ in the wilderness.  There has been a lot written and discussed regarding these three temptations (the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life). 

 

While the study of Matthew 4 is a rich study regarding our Savior Jesus Christ it also allows us to have insight into some of Satan’s abilities and actions.  This series contains nine examples which make it clear that Satan is a real personality. 

 

Scripture ~ “Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, ‘If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread’” (Matthew 4:3).

 

“Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down.  For it is written: “He shall give His angels charge over you,” and, “in their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone”’” (Matthew 4:5-6).

 

“Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.  And he said to Him, ‘All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me’ (Matthew 4:8-9).

 

Comment ~ Be careful who you are listening to. 

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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Fool Characteristics, 31

~ Honor 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. 

 

Chapter Note  ~  Eleven of the first twelve verses of Proverbs 26 contain a comment about fools (only verse 2 does not).

 

Scripture  ~  “As snow in summer and rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool” (Proverbs 26:1)

 

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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Newness In Christ, 2

~ A New Creation In Christ ~

 

Scripture  ~  “Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh.  Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.  Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:16-19).

 

Comment  ~  It is important to realize that the Scripture is not talking about a fix, a remake, or redo, but an entirely new creation from the Creator!

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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God Attribute, 91

~ God Is My Protector ~

 

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

 

Scripture  ~  “But whoever listens to Me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil” {Proverbs 1:33).

 

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:3-5).

 

“But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one” (2 Thessalonians 3:3).

 

“The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade” (Psalm 121:5 nlt).  

 

“Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ: mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you” (Jude 1-2).

 

“O You who save those who trust in You from those who rise up against them. Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me under the shadow of Your wings, from the wicked who oppress me, from my deadly enemies who surround me” (Psalm 17:7b-9).

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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