Category: Be like Him

It Matters, What We Say and Do

~ Rob Robinson ~ Leave a comment

COPYRIGHT WARNING

It matters what we do

Does the Lord really care about the things that we look at, the places we go, the things we say, and the way that we live our life?

Paul wrote in the New Testament that those who believe in Jesus and who have asked Him to be their Savior and the Lord of their life, should live in the same way that Jesus lived His life.

He who says he abides in Jesus ought himself also to live just as He lived. 1 John 2:6

The question that each one of us must ask ourselves is “Am I living my life in a manner that is a true reflection of Jesus?” In other words, when people see us—as we claim to love the Lord—do they see a person who speaks and does the things that Jesus said and did? Can people tell if we love Jesus by the way that we speak and the way we live? Continue reading “It Matters, What We Say and Do” →

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God Does Not Choose–Based on Physical Appearance, He Looks at the Heart

~ Rob Robinson ~ Leave a comment

COPYRIGHT WARNING

God’s choice for those who will lead others, does not depend on their outward appearance, education, or family background. The Lord chooses people for service based on their inner heart and their desire to do all that He requires. When we examine the prophecies of the Messiah, we find that God’s choosing of His servant to die for the sins of the world–had nothing to do with physical beauty. The Messiah will have no physical beauty that people will be attracted to Him. In fact, He will be greatly disfigured by the suffering of His crucifixion. It will be His character and personality that will attract and draw people to Him.

Isaiah 53:2b … He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him.

There are some who claim that Isaiah Chapter 53 is a description of the nation of Israel and was not intended for Jesus Christ.

In the Book of Acts, the Lord spoke to Philip and told him to take the road from Jerusalem to Gaza. While on this road, Philip met a man who was apparently there by divine appointment. Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians, had a servant who was returning from Jerusalem where he had been worshipping the God of Israel. While on his return journey, he was reading from the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah. As Philip meets this servant of the queen of Ethiopia, he asks him if he understands what he is reading. Continue reading “God Does Not Choose–Based on Physical Appearance, He Looks at the Heart” →

The Desirable Attributes of a True Christian Leader

~ Rob Robinson ~ Leave a comment

COPYRIGHT WARNING

It is nearly impossible for any man to make himself the servant of another man in complete humility and sincerity. There is a flawed character in fallen man that is constantly seeking to be exalted and magnified above other men. The Biblical example of leadership that the New Testament reveals—uses the example of Jesus Christ as a basis for what a servant of God should exemplify.

To become a true servant of others is the highest form of leadership that the Old Testament prophecies ascribe to the Messiah’s purpose. Although Jesus is described as God Himself and the Creator of all that exists, He makes Himself a Servant of the creation He made, in order to redeem it back to the glory He originally intended.

Continue reading “The Desirable Attributes of a True Christian Leader” →

The God Who Came to Serve

~ Rob Robinson ~ Leave a comment

COPYRIGHT WARNING

Why would the Creator of the universe–the One who made everything that exists; humble Himself and die for crimes which He did not commit? 

Nearly 700 years before Jesus came into the world, the prophet Isaiah describes the Messiah as a Servant who would lay down His life for every person. Although He would be God Himself, for our benefit–Jesus submitted His life as the payment for all sin.

Isaiah 42:1 “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.”

The certainty that Isaiah’s prophecy is applicable to Jesus as the Messiah, is confirmed by the words of Matthew in chapter 12:14-21. Here the Apostle confirms this fact by stating that what Jesus was doing at that specific moment—was a fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy in chapter 42:1.

Matthew 12:14-21 Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him. But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. Yet He warned them not to make Him known, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit upon Him, And He will declare justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel nor cry out, Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench, Till He sends forth justice to victory; And in His name Gentiles will trust.” Continue reading “The God Who Came to Serve” →

Religious Frauds and Pretenders

~ Rob Robinson ~ Leave a comment

COPYRIGHT WARNING

There are many people, who over the course of their life, meet an individual who has claimed to be a Christian—who has exhibited behavior that is contrary to their particular belief, and caused other people to discount God altogether.

An enduring fact of life is that one of the leading causes of atheism is Christianity. Not that Jesus is the point of stumbling, but rather those who claim to follow him. Many people attribute the behavior of a person to the character of the God they claim to believe in. Forgetting that the Christian Gospel clearly declares that Jesus came into the world to save “sinners,” not the righteous. It is the very worst of the world that Jesus is most appealing to. The Christian life in following Jesus is frequently imperfect and lacking the basic qualities of love, patience, humility, and forgiveness. Those who are trying to follow Jesus will never be perfect in this life, although they should endeavor, constantly, to be more like Jesus in all their behavior.

It should also be understood that many people who take the name of “Christian,” are frauds. For reasons of personal financial gain or to achieve a position of authority or power, many individuals will label themselves a follower of Christ, without this fact being true.

Continue reading “Religious Frauds and Pretenders” →

The Heart that Impresses God

~ Rob Robinson ~ Leave a comment

COPYRIGHT WARNING

Isaiah 11:1b There shall come forth a Branch from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots…

The prophecy of Isaiah 11:1 describes the Messiah coming from a Branch in David’s line. The Hebrew word for Branch is Netzer, from where the world Nazarene could be inferred. This is known as a Hebrew play on words that seems to imply that the Messiah will come from the line of David, and He will be referred to as The Nazarene. Seventeen times in the New Testament, Jesus is referred to as: Jesus of Nazareth. *[1]

John 1:45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

The term: Branch, or Netzer is an important designation for the Messiah. It indicates that He will be from a place despised and be rejected by those whom He comes to save.

John 1:46 And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”

Nazareth was the home of a Roman army garrison from where soldiers constantly exercised harsh rule over the Jews. The fact that Nazareth was despised is observed by the statement made by Nathanael in speaking of Jesus: Can anything good come out of Nazareth?

Isaiah describes the Messiah as despised and rejected, even by His own people. When we examine the Gospel narrative of Jesus, we find that even before His ministry had gained momentum, He was already designated as one originating from a town in which nothing good could take place. Jesus was despised and rejected 2,000 years ago and He is still despised and rejected by a majority of people today. Though He came humbly and laid down His life for all of us, His message of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, has caused the world to hate Him.

This attitude of humility, which Jesus displayed, is the type of heart that God responds to. Those who are full of pride in their own wisdom and abilities, can never find God. He hides Himself from the proud but reveals Himself to the humble and the broken.

Continue reading “The Heart that Impresses God” →

The Weak, The Powerless, the Insignificant: The Person God Uses

~ Rob Robinson ~ Leave a comment

COPYRIGHT WARNING

What this world consider wise, is not wise. What this world views as foolish, hides the wisdom of the ages. God does not reveal Himself to the proud, the self sufficient, and the self righteous. The One who made the universe comes to the humble, the seeking, the sincere. The reason that man cannot find God: his foolish pride.

When God sends His Messiah into the world, He will originate from a family of men who are insignificant to the world. God looks at the heart and examines the thoughts and intentions of a man. When He uses a person to make Himself known, He choses the weak, the untrained, the unnoticed. In this manner, no one would ever think that this person could accomplish anything by their own wisdom or power. When great things are accomplished by the weak and insignificant–everyone understands that what was accomplished, was done by God and not by men. In this way, all praise, honor, and glory, are given to God–who is the only one who rightfully deserves our praise. Continue reading “The Weak, The Powerless, the Insignificant: The Person God Uses” →

The Messiah’s Love and Righteous Judgement

~ Rob Robinson ~ Leave a comment

COPYRIGHT WARNING

What would it be like to be truly loved? If someone could look into our heart and see who we truly are. To be known for the person we really are and all our words and actions understood for their true meaning. There is only one who has the ability and desire to know us in this way. He came from eternity and lived amongst us–so that we might know this great love.

One of the basic precepts of the Messiah’s kingdom is His righteous judgement. He is coming to make right all of the unjust governments of men and rule the world with absolute rectitude. He will not judge in the way that men judge—through bias with ulterior motives. The judgement of the Messiah will be based on the truth without regard to the opinions of men. The Book of 1 Samuel details how God judges the affairs of men, looking into the heart of the man, to see what his true motives and purposes are.

1 Samuel 16:7 …For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” Continue reading “The Messiah’s Love and Righteous Judgement” →

The Non-Theist, Materialist, and Humanist Claim of Man’s Evolution as a Moral Being

~ Rob Robinson ~ Leave a comment

COPYRIGHT WARNING

This world cries out for “Peace,” but in all the history of man upon the earth, there has never been a sustained period of time in which peace reigned.

In the last 3,000 years of man’s recorded history, there has only been 286 years without a war. There have been over 15,000 wars resulting in 4 billion deaths.[1]

For the humanist, materialist, and non-theist, this record is a stunning indictment upon the premise that man is evolving into a more civilized and peaceful species.[1a] In fact, the opposite is true. As time progresses, men simply develop more creative ways to kill other men. The Biblical view of man as a fallen being, who is incapable of peace, is precisely what the evidence validates. Unless God intervenes in the history of mankind, we would certainly annihilate our species and destroy the earth.

Continue reading “The Non-Theist, Materialist, and Humanist Claim of Man’s Evolution as a Moral Being” →

10 Reasons Why Atheists Will Not Believe In God

~ Rob Robinson ~ Leave a comment

COPYRIGHT WARNING

After many years of conversing with atheists, it has become clear what the real reasons are for their unwillingness to believe that God exists.

Although conversations with those who do not believe in God will eventually venture into their intellectual objections to the Christian Gospel, in truth, their objections are a camouflage for the true barriers of their heart.

The following list is the result of my own observations of those who have told me the many reasons why they do not believe in God. After having had the opportunity to try and get to know the persons who call themselves or live by the defining definition of an atheist, these are the conclusion that I have arrived at. Continue reading “10 Reasons Why Atheists Will Not Believe In God” →