The Christian Walk, 19

~ Walk In Wisdom ~

 

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  ~ “Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.  Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one” (Colossians 4:5-6). 

 

Comments  ~  1. To have grace-oriented speech means your speech speaks more highly of a person than they deserve.

 

2. We are not to walk in our wisdom, or the wisdom of the world but in wisdom from God. 

 

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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Church Attendance

~ Why Attend a Local Church? ~

 

To Obey God’s Word  ~  “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25).

 

To Receive Instruction  ~  “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

 

To Worship God With Other Christians  ~  “Again 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).

 

To Fellowship With Other Christians  ~  “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.  For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.  But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up.  Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone?  Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him.  And a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).

 

To serve Other Christians  ~  “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for ‘love will cover a multitude of sins.’  Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.  As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.  If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God.  If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever.  Amen” (1 Peter 4:8-11).

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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Promise of God, 13

~ God Is My Light And Salvation ~

 

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 ~ “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1).

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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Fool Characteristics, 53

~ Don’t Be A Close Friend Of A Fool ~

 

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  ~  “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed” (Proverbs 13:20).

 

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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Bible Answer, 118

~ Did You Get It Right? ~

 

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~~~~ bible answer ~~~~

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question:  What is the first color mentioned in the Bible?

 

answer:  Green

 

“‘Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food;’ and it was so” (Genesis 1:30).

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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God Attribute, 114

~ God Has A Heart ~

 

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

 

Scripture  ~  “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart” (Genesis 6:5-7).

 

Comment  ~  So many attributes of God demonstrate that He possesses a tender heart of love, compassion, forgiveness, and so forth.

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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Bible Question, 118

~ Test Your Bible Knowledge ~

 

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~~~~ bible question ~~~~ 

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question:  What is the first color mentioned in the Bible?

 

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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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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