God Attribute, 97

~ God Remembers ~

 

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

 

Scripture  ~  “For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister” (Hebrews 6:9).

 

“He is the Lord our God; His judgments are in all the earth. He remembers His covenant forever, the Word which He commanded, for a thousand generations” (Psalm 105:7-8).

 

“God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob” (Exodus 2:24-25).

 

“God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb” (Genesis 30:22).

 

“As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:13-14).

 

Comment  ~  Question: Some may ask, What about the Biblical verses which seem to indicate that God will not remember?

 

“No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more” (Jeremiah 31:34).

 

“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more” (Hebrews 8:12).

 

Answer: We know that 1) Scripture is consistent and does not contradict itself, 2) Scripture interprets itself, 3) God is omniscient (all-knowing) which seems to contradict these verses. The reality is that these verses are more accurately translated into English as “will no longer hold against you” as opposed to “will remember no more.” 

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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Bible Question, 114

 ~ Test Your Bible Knowledge ~

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

~~~~ bible question ~~~~ 

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question:  What was the first command of God to mankind?

 

Please provide your answer in the comments below!

 

The answer will be provided in a future blog.

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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The Christian Walk, 4

~ Walk In The Spirit ~

 

Series Introduction  ~  The New Testament has much to say about how a believer should live their life.  Christians should never have to guess about the life that pleases God.  In this series we look at a variety of passages that speak about the Christian walk on earth. 

 

Scripture  ~ “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25).

 

“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.  For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law” (Galatians 5:16-18).

 

Additional Scripture  ~  “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.  For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.  For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.  For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.  So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:1-8).

 

Comment  ~  In our last two posts in this series we were instructed to walk with God our Heavenly Father—the first member of the Trinity… and to walk with Jesus Christ, our Savior—the second member of the Trinity.  Now in this post we are to walk with the Spirit of God—the third member of the Trinity. 

 

Quote  ~  “To walk with someone means you are aware of their presence.  And this is true with God.  If you’re to walk with Him, you must be continually aware of His presence.” —Kay Smith {Pleasing God)

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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In Jesus We Have… , 45

~ In Jesus We Have Eternal Life, 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  ~  Jesus said, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have [eternal] life” (John 5:39-40).

 

Questions  ~  (1) What is your definition of “eternal”?

(2) Based on your definition of eternal, is there any way you could lose eternal life?

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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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.

Fool Characteristics, 36

~ Fools Don’t Understand Wisdom ~

 

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  ~  “Like the legs of the lame that hang limp is a proverb in the mouth of fools” (Proverbs 26:7).

 

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, 5

~ As Believers We Have New Orders ~

 

Scripture  ~  “So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him.  If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately.  Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer.  You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, “Where I am going, you cannot come,” so now I say to you.  A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:31-35).

 

“Jesus said to him, ‘“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets’” (Matthew 22:37-40).

 

Comment  ~  Such easy concepts to grasp, but difficult to consistently carry out.  It is our God given marching orders – we are responsible to carry out these two commands.

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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God Attribute, 96

~ God Is Relational ~

 

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

 

Introduction  ~  This is one of the most important of God’s attributes. He wants a personal relationship with you. Christianity is not a religion but a relationship with God Himself.

 

Scripture  ~  “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8a).

 

“So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend” (Exodus 33:11a).

 

“Then He said, ‘I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion’” (Exodus 33:19)

 

“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:19-22).

 

Fellowship  ~  The Christian can, and should, have fellowship with all three members of the Triune God.

 

Fellowship with the Holy Spirit? (Philippians 2:1; 2 Corinthians 13:14)

Fellowship with Jesus Christ? (1 John 1:3; Philippians 3:10)

Fellowship with God the Father? (1 John 1:3)

 

Comment  ~  Thomas Jay Oord has listed a variety of verses (not an exhaustive list) which show God is relational:

·         God “sees” that the created world and in which creatures “bring forth” creatures is a “good” world, even saying some are “very good” (Genesis 1).

·         God first considers the animals as possible companions for Adam but finds them unsuitable. So God decides to create another human (Genesis 2).

·         The Lord “regrets” that he made humans, and “his heart was deeply troubled” (Genesis 6:6).

·         God “hears” the cries of Israel and is “concerned about their suffering” (Exodus 3:7).

·         God “hears the groaning of the sons of Israel” and remembers the covenant (Exodus 6:5).

·         God self-identifies as a “jealous God” and “unswervingly loyal” (Exodus 20:5, 6).

·         God encounters “a stiff-necked people,” has anger that “burns,” but “relents” and does not bring disaster (Exodus 32:9-14).

·         Being “a compassionate God,” God will “not forget the covenant with your fathers” (Deuteronomy 4:31).

·         The Lord foretells Hezekiah’s imminent death; Hezekiah prays and asks for more time; the Lord responds by adding years to Hezekiah’s life (2 Kings 20:1-7).

·         God “remembers his covenant” and “relents according to the greatness of his lovingkindness” (Psalm 106:45).

·         “My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, and my covenant of peace will not be shaken,” says the Lord of compassion (Isaiah 54:10).

·         God feels sorrow about the disaster brought on Judah (Jeremiah 42:10).

·         God is “jealous” and “takes pity” on the people (Joel 2:18).

·         God “has compassion” for Israel (Hosea 11:8-9).

·         God takes “great delight” and “rejoices” (Zephaniah 3:17).

·         God gets “extremely angry” when the nations make disasters worse (Zechariah 1:15).

·         Mary says God helps “in remembrance of His mercy” (Luke 1:54).

·         The apostle Paul warns his readers: “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God” (Ephesians 4:30), which implies that creaturely action can sadden God.

·         James says, “The Lord is full of compassion and is merciful” (Ephesians 5:11).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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Why Trust God? 71

~ We Can Have A Personal Relationship With Him ~

 

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, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah — not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord.  But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.  No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord.  For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more” (Jeremiah 31:31-34).

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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