An Explosion of Abundance...

John 10:10

“…I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.”  (The Message)

“…My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”  (NLT)

“…I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (ESV)

If I have heard the following statement one time I have heard it hundreds…”If I become a Christian I won’t be able to have any fun.”  My response is what can be more fun than living an abundantly satisfying life?  That is what Christ brings to our lives the moment we ask Him into it. Knowing and realizing that fact let’s look at what a “better life than (we) ever dreamed of” looks like.

1.     There is an abundance of LOVE

One of the greatest needs we have is the desire to be loved ~ unconditionally.  We want it so much at times that we make unorthodox decisions in pursuit of it.  Not only that but the world around us “loves” everything…movies, ball teams, clothes…  Love is more than an emotion ~ it is a commitment.  Love lifts, accepts, offers strength and does it without looking for anything in return.  Who committed His life more than and demonstrated His love to us more than Christ?  I love this version of Romans 5:6-8…

 

“Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn't, and doesn't, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything toget ourselves ready. And even if we hadn't been so weak, we wouldn't have known what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offeringhis Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him.” (MSG)

 

In the NKJV the scripture says that “…(God) demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  To demonstrate means reveal, make obvious, display…  So God reveals, displays and makes His love obvious toward us…  He lays it out there for the taking or the leaving. 

2.     There is an abundance of PEACE

In looking around, watching the news, reading the headlines and listening to the conversation of people it is evident people don’t live with much peace.  They are anxious, suspicious, confused, paranoid, uneasy and fearful.  They have put their faith and trust in their finances, jobs, and people, all of which will fail us at one point or another or have already done so.  What can He who is peace make available to us?

 

"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. ~ John14:27 (NASB)

 

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

~ John 16:33 (NLT)

 

“God is not a God of confusion but a God of peace.”

~ 1 Corinthians 14:33 (NCV)

 

“…for he is our peace…” ~ Ephesians 2:14 (YLT)

 

3.     There is an abundance of GRACE

I am sure you have heard the UPS slogan “what can BROWN do for you?”  I ask “what can GRACE do for you?

 

·        Grace builds us up…

”And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up…” ~ Acts 20:32 (NLT)

·        Grace one-upped sin…

“And the law came in besides, that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace did abound more exceedingly” ~ Romans 5:20 (ASV)

·        Grace went where the law couldn’t go…

“And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved.” ~ Romans 11:6 (NLT)

·        Grace enables me to be who I am in Christ…

“But God's grace has made me what I am, and his grace to me was not wasted…” ~ 1 Corinthians 15:10 (NCV)

·        Grace helps us to have the most of every good deed…

” And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” ~ 2 Corinthians 9:8

So living abundantly doesn’t sound so stifling, does it?  Living without abundance brings…

Emptiness, lacking love…

            Unrest, lacking peace…

                        Working for acceptance, not a recipient of grace…

I choose an explosion of abundance.  How about you?

In Him,

Stefanie