~ The Cross ~
Keep In Mind ~ The Cross of Calvary had two sides.
The Cross had two sides—the one side where Jesus died and the other side where Jesus was resurrected.
The
Cross and the Resurrection were ONE EVENT.
Check
out tomorrows post!
~
Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT
LIFE NOW blog.
~~~~~~~~~~~
~ Decision Making Basics: Spiritual Test ~
Series
Note
~ This series looks at eight words that begin with the letter “S” which can
significantly help in Christian decision-making. So far, we have looked at 1) The Scripture Test, 2)
The Secrecy Test, 3) The Survey Test, and 4) The Spiritual Test.
Scripture ~ “For
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).
Key Question ~ Am I seeking the approval of man or to please God?
“But Peter and the other apostles
answered and said: ‘We ought to obey God rather than men’” (Acts 5:29).
~ Robert
Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT
LIFE NOW blog.
~~~~~~~~~~~
~ God Hears ~
This
Series ~ This
series of posts looks at some of the many attributes of God. Generally, we move in alphabetical order.
“Now this is
the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His
will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask,
we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15).
Additional
Scripture ~ “The Lord
is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth” (Psalm 145:18 niv).
To
strengthen our prayers, we can use the model prayer Jesus provided for His
Disciples: And
it came to pass, that, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased,
one of His disciples said unto Him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught
His disciples. And He said unto them, ‘When ye pray, say, Our Father which art
in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in
Heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our
sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not
into temptation; but deliver us from evil” (Luke 11:1-4 kjv).
“Then Jesus told His disciples a parable to show
them that they should always pray and not give up” (Luke 18:1).
~ Robert
Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT
LIFE NOW blog.
~~~~~~~~~~~
~ God Explains ~
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
~ “Thus says the Lord of hosts:
‘Consider your ways! Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the
temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified,’ says the Lord. ‘You looked for much, but indeed it came to
little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?’ says the Lord of
hosts. ‘Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to
his own house. Therefore the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth
withholds its fruit. For I called for a drought on the land and the mountains,
on the grain and the new wine and the oil, on whatever the ground brings forth,
on men and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands’” (Haggai
1:7-11).
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.
~~~~~~~~~~~
~ Walk In Good Works ~
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 ~ “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 2:8-10).
Comment ~ Good
works have absolutely nothing to do with salvation. Good works do result as the result of
salvation.
“But
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).
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.
~~~~~~~~~~~
~ In Jesus We Have Eternal Life, 25 ~
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 ~ “If we
receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the
witness of God which He has testified of His Son. He who believes in the Son of
God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a
liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.
And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this
life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son
of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in
the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal
life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God” (1
John 5:9-13).
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.
~~~~~~~~~~~
~ God Gives Grace And Peace ~
This
Series
~ God has made many promises to His people. This series of posts looks at some
(100) of the many attributes of God. It
is not an exhaustive list.
Key
Factor
~ God not only makes promises to His people but He also keeps all of His
promises.
Scripture ~ “Paul, a prisoner of Christ
Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to
Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer, 2 to the beloved Apphia,
Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house: grace to you and peace from
God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philemon 1:3).
~ Robert
Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT
LIFE NOW blog.
~~~~~~~~~~~
~ Fools Love Their Evil Ways ~
Series
Note ~ In the
first 47 posts in this series we looked at some passages in the Book of
Proverbs – wise sayings that are generally true – that describe a “fool”
(singular) from God’s perspective. Now
we continue by looking at verses Proverbs which talk about ”fools”
(plural). Some may surprise you.
Scripture ~ “A desire accomplished is sweet
to the soul, but it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil” (Proverbs
13:19).
Important
Truth ~ “The
fool has said in his heart, ‘there is no God’” (Psalm 53:1a).
~ Robert
Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT
LIFE NOW blog.
~~~~~~~~~~~
~ Decision Making Basics: Survey Test ~
Series
Note
~ This series looks at eight words that begin with the letter “S” which can
significantly help in Christian decision-making. So far, we have looked at 1)
The Scripture Test, 2) The Secrecy Test, and 3) The Survey Test.
Scripture ~ “Let
no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in
conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give
attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine” (1 Timothy 4:12-13).
Comment
~
No
one is perfect (sinless) but do you have respect?
“Make it your ambition to lead a quiet
life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told
you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so
that you will not be dependent on anybody” (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 niv).
~ Robert
Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT
LIFE NOW blog.
~~~~~~~~~~~
This Series ~ This series of posts looks at some of the many attributes of God. Generally, we move in alphabetical order.
Scripture ~ “For
I am the Lord who heals you” (Exodus15:26b).
“Bless
the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your
iniquities, Who heals all your diseases” (Psalm 103:2-3).
“The
Lord builds up Jerusalem; He gathers together the outcasts of Israel. He
heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:2-3).
“There
he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years and was
paralyzed. And Peter said to him, ‘Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you.
Arise and make your bed.’ Then he arose immediately” (Acts 9:33-34).
~ Robert
Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT
LIFE NOW blog.
~~~~~~~~~~~
