Fool?

 ~ How Do You Compare? ~

 

Quote ~ “God assumed from the beginning that the wise of the world would view Christians as fools… and He has not been disappointed…  If I have brought any message today, it is this… Have the courage to have your wisdom regarded as stupidity.  Be fools for Christ.  And have the courage to suffer the contempt of the sophisticated world.” —U.S. Supreme Court Judge Antonin Scalia (1936-2016)

 

“To be a fool in Biblical terms is not to be dimwitted or lacking intelligence: it is to be immoral. As the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, so the denial of God is the height of foolishness.” —R.C. Sproul 

 

“There are two ways to be fooled: one is to believe what isn’t true, the other is to refuse to believe what is true.” —Soren Kierkegaard 

 

Scripture ~ “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God — and righteousness and sanctification and redemption — that, as it is written, ‘He who glories, let him glory in the Lord’” (1 Corinthians 1:26-31).

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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Two Sides, #3of3

~ The Exaltation ~

 

Keep In Mind ~ The Resurrection of Jesus Christ had two sides.

 

1. 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.

 

2. The Resurrection had two sides—the resurrection of Jesus and the exaltation of Jesus in power to the right side of God from where He now reigns.    

 

The Resurrection and the Exaltation of Jesus were ONE EVENT.

 

3. The Exaltation had two sides—the exaltation of Jesus as our High Priest was accompanied by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  

 

The exaltation of Jesus Christ and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was ONE EVENT.

 

Comments ~ The death, resurrection, exaltation, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was ALL ONE EVENT.  They should not be seen as separate.

 

The birth, life, death, resurrection, and exaltation was for one ultimate purpose—the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the availability of salvation for men and women. 

 

Why not experience Jesus today? It is not just a historical reality.  It is a provision for opening our hearts and receiving the living presence of God, the Holy Spirit, in, upon, and through our daily lives. 

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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Two Sides, #2of3

~ The Resurrection ~

 

Keep In Mind ~ The Resurrection of Jesus Christ had two sides.

 

1. 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.

 

2. The Resurrection had two sides—the resurrection of Jesus and the exaltation of Jesus in power to the right side of God from where He now reigns.  The resurrection and the exaltation of Jesus were ONE EVENT.  

 

The Resurrection and the Exaltation of Jesus were ONE EVENT.

 

Check out tomorrows post!

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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Two Sides, #1of3

~ 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.

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“S” Choice Tests, 4

~ 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.

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God Attribute, 113

~ God Hears ~

 

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

 

Scripture  ~  “Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him” (John 9:31).

 

“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.

 

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Why Trust God? 84

~ 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.

 

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The Christian Walk, 18

~ 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.

 

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In Jesus We Have… , 60

~ 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.

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Promise of God, 12

~ 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.

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