Abundant Life

Do you want to have an abundant life? Scripture is clear that we can have a full and abundant life here on earth if we want it. I suspect, like me, most of you would desire a full and abundant life over an empty, meager one. Jesus said this in John 10:10 (NIV) “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Most churches and pastors do a good job of telling you that you can have an abundant life, but never really tell you how. For this newsletter I want to share a few things that I have learned over the years that lead to a full and abundant life.
To live abundantly you have to take responsibility for your life. People who complain, pass blame, look for ways to get around the system, and just in general put all of their problems on others or society will never have the full abundant life that God promises. To experience that life you have to step up and take responsibility for your life. God set it up this way from the start. Genesis 1:28 (MSG) says this, “God blessed them: Prosper! Reproduce! Fill the Earth! Take charge!” To have a full and abundant life you need to take charge, and take responsibility for your life! Stop blaming others. Stop complaining and whining about everything. Take responsibility for your life!
If you want to live abundantly you must also be willing to confront your sin. The Bible is clear that our sins will find us out. The question is are we willing to confront them before they do? The full and abundant life that God promises will only be realized when we confront our sin. We must confess our sins to God and to our fellow men. We must be willing to confront sin and then repent if we are to ever have a full and abundant life.
Next, you must learn to love! In Colossians 3, the author describes what we as God’s people are supposed to look like and be like. In verse 14 he says this, "And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Love is a key ingredient for abundant living. Jesus commands us to love John 13:34-35 (NIV) “A new command I give you Love one another…By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." The world is looking at you and I and they expect to see love. Sadly however, many of us only desire to experience love from one side of the coin, our side. We want to be loved, we want to feel loved, but we don’t want to make the effort, and expend the time and energy it takes to love one another. If you want to experience abundant living, you must learn to love, deeply and dangerously. You must learn to love your friend and your foe. You simply must learn to love.
Finally, you must learn to follow Jesus if you want to have the abundant life that scripture talks about. Abundance cannot be found, and does not exist, outside of following Jesus. He is the source of hope, love, life, and all good things. We must be willing to follow him with all of our being, if we desire the abundance he promised. Are we willing to risk it all? Are we willing to carry the cross? Are we willing to join Him? Are we willing to sacrifice our everyday existence, for the glory, honor, and fame of the KING? If we are not willing to follow Jesus, our lives will never overflow with the promised abundance we read about in scripture.
There are so many other things that we must excel at in order to live abundantly. We should be in church, we should be in the Word, we must pursue and trust God and the list goes on. The bottom line is the abundant life scripture speaks of is not of this world, but can be experienced in this world. You won’t find it in money, power, or fame, it can only be found in the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. I pray that you will experience the abundant life that scripture promises each and everyday.