Messiah, 32

~ Messiah Would Be Heir to David’s Throne ~

“Search the Scriptures—they testify of Me.”

— Jesus Christ (John 5:39)

The Scripture

“The Lord declares to you [David] that the Lord Himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish His kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for My Name, and I will establish the throne of His kingdom forever. I will be His father, and He will be My Son… My love will never be taken away from Him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Your [David] house and your kingdom will endure forever before Me; your throne will be established forever” (2 Samuel 7:11-16).

The Messiah  

“Then the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end’” (Luke 1:30-33).  

~~~ EXPLANATORY “MESSIAH” NOTES ~~~   

(1)  Each Saturday ALN posts an example of a Hebrew Scriptures prophecy (or foreshadowing) related to the coming Messiah which was fulfilled in the birth, life, death, or resurrection of Jesus Christ.

(2)  While extensive it will not be a complete list—there are hundreds of prophecies of the coming Messiah which have been fulfilled by one man—Jesus Christ at His First Coming.

(3)  It is important that there are many more prophecies of the Messiah, yet unfulfilled, which Christians believe will be fulfilled at the time of His Second Coming.  A particularly relevant Scripture verse in this regard is: “Do not despise prophesies” (1 Thessalonians 5:20).

(4)  These posts will typically consist only of Scripture—which speaks for itself.  Sometimes italicized or bold font will be used by ALN for emphasis.

(5)  The numbering of these fulfilled prophecies of the Messiah is used to differentiate individual posts. It is not chronological (either by time of the prophecy or by sequence in the life of the Messiah).  The posting sequence will, for the most part, be in the order that the prophecies appear in Scripture.

(6)  Because of the chosen methodology (#5 above) we will find many specific prophecies repeated multiple times throughout the Scriptures.

(7)  These serial posts are in addition to our regular Tuesday ALN postings on random topics.

(8)  Subscription to ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog is simple—just use the link on the left sidebar.  Once subscribed you will not miss future posts.  

          

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Prophets Provide Profits

~ Are You a Profit Seeker? ~

Do you have a profitable life? If so, by what standard?

Do you desire a profitable life? Would you like to hear your earthly parents express genuine pride in your meaningful accomplishments? How about God—when in that future day you stand before God, do you have confidence that He will look you directly in the eye and say, “Well done, you good and faithful child of Mine?” (Matthew 25:20-23).   

God gave us the Scriptures for many reasons. Here, from a single verse, 2 Timothy 3:16, are four critical ways to profit from God’s Word.

“But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 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 3:14-17, NKJV, emphasis added).

Profitable for Doctrine  ~  Doctrine shows us what is right. Doctrine and theology are beliefs—the Bible tells us what we should believe. Everyone has a set of beliefs which they adhere to. God through His Word tells us what to believe and what not to believe. Yes, there are absolutes!  

Profitable for Reproof  ~  Reproof shows us what is not right. Warnings and reprimands are necessary and clearly given—the Bible tells us when we are headed in the wrong direction. The wrong direction is any path outside of God’s desire for us. 

Profitable for Correction  ~  Correction shows us how to make things right. Correction and refocusing are aimed at our well-being, at pointing us back to the right direction of travel. Through correction we develop a lifestyle that not only pleases God but is best for us.

Profitable for Instruction  ~  Instruction shows us how to keep things right. Intellectual and empirical learning are the road signs pointing out the way in which we should go, the right path—the narrow road of blessing in which we delight our heavenly Father.

“Work hard so God can say to you, ‘Well done.’ Be a good workman, one who does not need to be ashamed when God examines your work. Know what his Word says and means” (2 Timothy 2:15-16, The Living Bible).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Messiah, 31

~ Messiah Would Be God’s Son ~ 

“Search the Scriptures—they testify of Me.”

— Jesus Christ (John 5:39)

The Scripture

“The Lord declares to you that the Lord Himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish His kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of His kingdom forever. I will be His Father, and He will be My Son” (2 Samuel 7:11-14a).

The Messiah  

“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For to which of the angels did He ever say: ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You?’ And again: ‘I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son?’” (Hebrews 1:1-5).

~~~ EXPLANATORY “MESSIAH” NOTES ~~~   

(1)  Each Saturday ALN posts an example of a Hebrew Scriptures prophecy (or foreshadowing) related to the coming Messiah which was fulfilled in the birth, life, death, or resurrection of Jesus Christ.

(2)  While extensive it will not be a complete list—there are hundreds of prophecies of the coming Messiah which have been fulfilled by one man—Jesus Christ at His First Coming.

(3)  It is important that there are many more prophecies of the Messiah, yet unfulfilled, which Christians believe will be fulfilled at the time of His Second Coming.  A particularly relevant Scripture verse in this regard is: “Do not despise prophesies” (1 Thessalonians 5:20).

(4)  These posts will typically consist only of Scripture—which speaks for itself.  Sometimes italicized or bold font will be used by ALN for emphasis.

(5)  The numbering of these fulfilled prophecies of the Messiah is used to differentiate individual posts. It is not chronological (either by time of the prophecy or by sequence in the life of the Messiah).  The posting sequence will, for the most part, be in the order that the prophecies appear in Scripture.

(6)  Because of the chosen methodology (#5 above) we will find many specific prophecies repeated multiple times throughout the Scriptures.

(7)  These serial posts are in addition to our regular Tuesday ALN postings on random topics.

(8)  Subscription to ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog is simple—just use the link on the left sidebar.  Once subscribed you will not miss future posts.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Who is Your Center?

~ From God-Centered to Self-Centered ~

The proper progression in the Christian life is from being self-centered to becoming increasingly God-centered in all aspects of living. However, we have an example in Exodus 32 where we find individuals moving in the opposite direction!

As the chapter opens we find Moses doing God’s will in God’s way and according to God’s timing. But the people became impatient.

Wrong Attitude (Impatience)  ~  “When the people realized that Moses was taking forever in coming down off the mountain, they rallied around Aaron and said, ‘Do something. Make gods for us who will lead us. That Moses, the man who got us out of Egypt — who knows what's happened to him?’” (Exodus 32:1, The Message).

Impatience soon became the basis for wrong actions. They quickly moved from being God-centered to completely self-centered.

Wrong Reasoning  ~  “So Aaron told them, ‘Take off the gold rings from the ears of your wives and sons and daughters and bring them to me.’ They all did it; they removed the gold rings from their ears and brought them to Aaron. He took the gold from their hands and cast it in the form of a calf, shaping it with an engraving tool” (Exodus 32:2-4a).

Wrong Decision  ~  The people responded with enthusiasm: ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up from Egypt!’ Aaron, taking in the situation, built an altar before the calf. Aaron then announced, ‘Tomorrow is a feast day to God!’ Early the next morning, the people got up and offered Whole-Burnt-Offerings and brought Peace-Offerings. The people sat down to eat and drink and then began to party. It turned into a wild party!” (Exodus 32:4b-6, The Message).

A wrong attitude led to wrong reasoning which ended in a wrong decision. They reverted to doing their own will instead of God’s will for them. As the chapter continues, we find that God was not pleased with their actions. 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

A Discipleship Model, Part 7of7

~ Step 7:  Accept Your Life-Long War ~

NOTE:  This Discipleship Model is a special 7-part series showing a clear path to spiritual victory. One step will be posted each day for a calendar week. After completion of this series Abundant Life Now will “resume regular programming.”

The first six steps of this Discipleship Model are similar to boot camp. You have trained yourself, with God’s help, in the skills that are necessary. Now you are entering the war as a career, life-long, soldier of the Cross. There is only one war—but there are many battles along the way.

The key is to stay involved. “O man of God… pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses” (1 Timothy 6:11-12). 

We fight this “good fight of faith” with the resources He has given us. He has provided a list of our resources in Ephesians 6:10-20. The interesting thing about the list is that all the word pictures of warfare provisions are defensive except for one offensive weapon—the Word of God! “The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (verse 17b). The Word works on our thinking (which changes our attitudes, etc.).

The passage continues, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:18a). Time in the Word of God will lead to sincere prayer by the soldier of Jesus Christ. Think of this as our time to interact with our Commander-In-Chief for instructions regarding both the individual battles along the way and the overall war strategy.

We can follow Biblical teachings and lessons and win the spiritual war or we can do things our own way and lose the spiritual war. (Note: All of us will at times lose individual battles—but we should be winning the war!)

Biblical Example 1 (Judges)  ~  Someone has documented what happens when God’s people do not continue the fight in God’s way. Rather than a Discipleship Model they chose a Sin Cycle. It is also a never-ending circular process. They showed how this cycle reoccurs seven times in the book of Judges alone. The Sin Cycle is described this way; Sin progresses to Servitude to Supplication to Salvation to Silence, and then the pattern starts over with Sin.

Biblical Example 2 (2 Kings 22-25)  ~  The good king Josiah makes a last desperate attempt to turn the nation (Southern Kingdom—Judah) back to God. He locates the long lost book of the Law, and institutes sweeping reforms. But though he can impose a change of actions on the people, only wholehearted repentance can change the attitudes of godlessness and self-indulgence that are the root of the problem. As a result, when Josiah dies, his successors revert to their pagan patterns and practices. Finally, God brings down the curtain on the Southern Kingdom as Babylonian soldiers topple the walls, homes, and temple of once-mighty Jerusalem.

Biblical Example 3 (1 Kings 11:1-13)  ~  King Solomon developed wrong attitudes: “As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other Gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to his God” (verse 4). “So Solomon did evil... he did not follow the Lord completely” (verse 6). “The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord” (verse 9). “The Lord said to Solomon, ‘Since this is your attitude (and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I have commanded you,) I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you’” (verse 11a, emphasis added).

Biblical Example 4 (Ezra 3:1-6)  ~  In our role as soldiers of the Cross, worship must precede work. In Ezra we see that the Israelites finally figured this out.  They had been charged with rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem—an event prophesied 200 years before (Isaiah 44:28). 50,000 Jews became a part of the caravan covering 900 miles from Babylon to Jerusalem. Totally worn-out with sore feet they finally arrive eager to do the task set before them.

What do they do first? Draw up blueprints? Hire architects? Order building materials? Rebuild their own houses? Eventually they did all these things, but their first thoughts were for God (Ezra 3:1-6). They knew that the success of their building venture depended on their heart attitude toward Him. And so before they began to work, they began to worship. This is back to our opening paradox. Realize while we are responsible before God we are also totally dependent upon God.

Summary  ~  Embrace the Paradox >>> Correct Thinking >>> Divine Attitudes >>> Controlled Motivations >>> Godly Lifestyle >>> Spiritual Victory >>> Keep Fighting >>> (Continually repeat this Discipleship Model cycle.)

A simple question. Do you love God? Really Love God? Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German pastor martyred in a Nazi concentration camp, wrote: “Only he who believes is obedient; only he who is obedient believes.” Do you really believe God? Do you believe to the point of changing your actions? Do you really love God? “Whoever has My commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves Me” (John 14:21a).

Jesus said, “If ye continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples indeed” (John 8:31). This is the definition of a disciple. Are you His disciple?  If not, why not? 

a final thought: “There is no discharge in this war” (Ecclesiastes 8:8). Don’t go AWOL!

Step 1:  Paradox  ~  Understand your partnership with God.

Step 2:  Thinking  ~  Choose to control your thoughts!

Step 3:  Attitude  ~  Increasingly rely on properly cultivated attitudes.

Step 4:  Motivation  ~  Be motivated predominately by yourself, rather than by external factors.

Step 5:  Lifestyle  ~  Continue to practice the fundamentals. 

Step 6:  Victory  ~  Guard your new lifestyle. 

Step 7:  Continue  ~  Be a good soldier for Christ—never go AWOL.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW