In Jesus We Have… , 6

 ~ In Jesus We Have Peace: Ephesians ~

 

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  ~  “For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the Cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.  And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.  For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father” (Ephesians 2:14-18).

 

Additional Scripture  ~  “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You [God], because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3).

 

 Comment  ~  Do you know God – the source of peace that passes any human understanding? (See Philippians 4:6-7)

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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Adornment, 9

 ~ Clothing, 9 ~

 

Series Note ~ In this series we look at some of the Scriptures which mention human physical adornment—pretty much without comment.  These posts will include clothing, head (including hair and wigs), jewelry (including accessories), makeup (including tattoos), and perfume (including incense).  It is important to note that some of these passages are culturally related to a specific culture and time period.   

 

A Key Principle ~ Focus on the long-term: “Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.  Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates” (Proverbs 31:30-31).

 

Scripture For This Week ~ “In like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works” (1 Timothy 2:9-11). 

 

Two Keys ~ (1) “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).

 

(2) “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?  For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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6 Positives From The Book Of Galatians, 2

 ~ Your Past Has Been Forgiven So Live For The Future ~

 

Series Introduction  ~  There are six chapters in the Paul’s letter to the church at Galatia.  In this series we look at one of the positive statements directed to believers from each of the chapters. 

 

Scripture  ~  “But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin?  Certainly not!  For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.  For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God.  I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.  I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain” (Galatians 2:17-21).

Quotes  ~  “Satan knows, if he can contaminate your present with your past, it will forgo your future fruitfulness.” 

“If what’s ahead scares you and what’s behind hurts you, then look up.” 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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Bible Answer, 104

~ Did You Get It Right? ~

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~ bible answer ~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  

 

question:  Who cut Samson’s hair?  

 

answer:  It was not Delilah!

 

“When Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, ‘Come up once more, for he has told me all his heart.’  So the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hand. Then she lulled him to sleep on her knees, and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head.  Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him.  And she said, ‘The Philistines are upon you, Samson!’  So he awoke from his sleep, and said, ‘I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!’  But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him” (Judges 16:18-20).

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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EXTRA: February eBook Special

 ~ This Month’s eBook Special ~

 

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How can we avoid a spiritually fickle life? 

 

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How did God evaluate Samson’s life?

 

What practical lessons can we apply to our daily activities by looking at his life? 

 

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ALSO: DON’T MISS THIS:  FREE Author Newsletter: Subscribe today and receive a FREE welcome gift followed by occasional news, items of interest, and special offers.  https://www.subscribepage.com/rlr  Your email will never be sold, given, or used in any other way and you can easily unsubscribe at any time.

 

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God Attribute, 55

 ~ God Is Our Leader ~

 

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

 

Introduction  ~  God is a leader who desires followers.  One of the common requests of Jesus Christ in the four Gospels is “follow Me” for example John 21:19).

 

Scripture  ~  One of the best known passages in Scripture is Psalm 23 which includes the following verse: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters” (Psalm 23:1-2).

 

Jesus said, “‘Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.  But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.  To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.  et they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.’ Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them” (John 10:1-6).

 

Comment  ~  For those who may be interested in an intriguing part of the U.S. military’s history you may want to sign up for my author’s newsletter (https://www.subscribepage.com/rlr) which provides a free welcome article about part of our nation’s history and “Follow Me.”  

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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Bible Question, 104

~ Test Your Bible Knowledge ~

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

~~~~ bible question ~~~~ 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

 

question:  Who cut Samson’s hair?

 

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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Question – Jesus, 171

 ~ Regarding Why, 4 ~

 

Introduction  ~  This series is about questions involving Jesus.  Some were asked by individuals involved with Jesus Christ while He walked on earth.  Others are questions that Jesus Christ asked others.  We will look at questions on over 160 topics (some may split into two or more posts).  Even so, it is far from an exhaustive list. 

 

Scripture  ~  “And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them.  Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him.  And He asked the scribes, ‘What are you discussing with them?’

 

“Then one of the crowd answered and said, ‘Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit.  And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid.  So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.’

 

“He answered him and said, ‘O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you?  How long shall I bear with you?  Bring him to Me.’  

 

Then they brought him to Him.  And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.

 

“So He asked his father, ‘How long has this been happening to him?’

 

“And he said, ‘From childhood.  And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him.  But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.’

 

“Jesus said to him, ‘If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.’ 

 

Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, ‘Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!’

 

When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, ‘Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!’ 

“Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him.  And he became as one dead, so that many said, ‘He is dead.’  But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.

 

“And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, ‘Why could we not cast it out?’

 

“So He said to them, ‘This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting’ (Mark 9:14-29).

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

* * * * *

 

In Jesus We Have… , 5

~ In Jesus We Have Peace: Book of Romans ~

 

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  ~  “Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:1-3).

 

“For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Romans 8:6).

 

“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?  And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?  And how shall they hear without a preacher?  And how shall they preach unless they are sent?  As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things’!” (Romans 10:14-15).

 

Additional Scripture  ~  “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You [God], because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3).

 

 Comment  ~  Do you know God – the source of peace that passes any human understanding? (See Philippians 4:6-7)

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

* * * * *

Adornment, 8

~ Clothing, 8 ~

 

Series Note ~ In this series we look at some of the Scriptures which mention human physical adornment—pretty much without comment.  These posts will include clothing, head (including hair and wigs), jewelry (including accessories), makeup (including tattoos), and perfume (including incense).  It is important to note that some of these passages are culturally related to a specific culture and time period.   

 

Two Principles ~ (1) Focus on the long-term: “Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.  Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates” (Proverbs 31:30-31).

 

(2) Exercise modesty: “Women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works” (1 Timothy 2:9b-10).

 

Scripture For This Week ~ “And it shall be, in the day of the Lord’s sacrifice, that I will punish the princes and the king’s children, and all such as are clothed with foreign apparel.  In the same day I will punish all those who leap over the threshold, who fill their masters’ houses with violence and deceit” (Zephaniah 1:8-9).

 

Two Keys ~ (1) “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).

 

(2) “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?  For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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