The Abundant Life
I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). - John 10:10 (Amplified)
Yesterday night, I went to a specatular birthday party for a good friend. The theme of the party was 'The Abundant Life'. After the delicious Hors d'œuvres, homemade pies, and rows of desserts, the birthday boy gave a speech about his recent trip to Southeast Asia and the journey God has him on. It was exciting to see the different groups of people that had gathered for this evening. Many of the friends were from church but the variety of friends was a testament to the birthday boy's warm and welcoming heart. The birthday boy began to talk about his blessings and also the abundant life God has given us.
He did not emphasis material abundance, which so many of us think when we hear 'the abundant life'. It is not about being rich. He even said, "People pray for abundant things that are totally unnecessary." A want versus a need. I am not saying God does not desire to give you all your wants, it is just sometimes you don't need anything but the need. God doesn't waste either. God's plan is perfect. Also, God wants your heart. If you want all these things, is your heart really in the right place?
Material wealth probably is an after-afterthought in the abundant life. The abundant life is much more. It is a life of Thee abundant relationship. What is a fulfilled life? What is it that you enjoy about life? Things that make it abundant include the abundant friendships, the abundant health (of yourself, family, and close friends), the abundant lack of stress (where finances could be included), the abundance of time (where finaces could be included). What do I realize? Finances could be included in any category.
What are the circumstantial things that make me enjoy life? Being healthy, stress free and enjoying time with friends.
The abundant life got me thinking. Most of the time, like 99.9% of the time, I give out of abundance. I have a lot of food, here have some. I have 5 boxes of cereal, here have a bowl. I just ate, here have this. I have more than enough in my bank account, here I will buy this for you. I have two phones, ok here you can borrow this one. We are selfish beings. It is easier to give out of abundance than out of scarcity. It is difficult to give out of lack. It doesn't make sense. It is not normal to be really, really hungry, get your favorite meal; then offer someone to have the first few bites. No you hoard it like any hungry person would. I will use the grossly misplaced illustration of money: I have no money, but I give money. It doesn't make sense. But it does make sense.
Contrasting and interesting story comes to mind, the poor widow who gave two coins (worth less than a penny) and is commended by Jesus. She was pointed out out of all who gave! She gave out of lack. Jesus is interested not on what is given, but what is retained. What did Jesus say to that? Let's take a look:
41And He sat down opposite the treasury and saw how the crowd was casting money into the treasury. Many rich [people] were throwing in large sums.
42And a widow who was poverty-stricken came and put in two copper mites [the smallest of coins], which together make half of a cent.
43And He called His disciples [to Him] and said to them, Truly and surely I tell you, this widow, [she who is] poverty-stricken, has put in more than all those contributing to the treasury.
44For they all threw in out of their abundance; but she, out of her deep poverty, has put in everything that she had--[even] all she had on which to live. Mark 12:41-44
Wait, she put in less (monetarily) but Jesus says she put in more. More what? Definitely not money. So it's not specifically about the amount. Is it about the percentage? The woman put in a higher percentage of her total net worth than the other people. Is it the percentage you give then? It is not that either. What is it about? It is about the heart.
Why do you give? Because you are moved with compassion, you care for the person, or you have excess. All of these attributes come from an abundant life. You can only give something if you received it first. Abundance comes from two Latin words joined together which mean 'to rise up in waves, to overflow'. This is a wonderful picture of a life receiving one blessing on top of another until one says with the Psalmist (23:5), “My cup runs over.” God’s love and purpose for us all is life to the fullest.
Share on FacebookIn the End, Man Created…
After reading an interesting article: God Lives in a Lab in Arizona, about how scientists are forming non-malaria carrying mosquitoes and then trying to give them an evolutionary superior strength so they will outlast the other malaria carrying mosquitoes; got me thinking.
People have been talking about the end times for a while now. Speakers suggesting we are 'the last generations'. 'God is coming soon'. But we don't know. No one knows.
I have really been interested in Matthew 9 recently and some of the miracles Jesus did, early in his ministry:
- Matthew 9 starts with Jesus healing a paralytic. 8When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men.
- Matthew, the disciple, is called
- Jesus is then questioned about fasting
- Then Jesus heals a dead girl and a sick woman. 26News of this spread through all that region.
- Jesus heals the blind and mute. 31But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.
- Then the chapter ends. Jesus saying the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.
Learning about storms, healing, and miracles, I realize God is sovereign and that anything He does will be for His Glory. Jesus did, so that He would be glorified. Not man. Not circumstances. Not situations. Not earth. Nothing but Him. Why do instantaneous miracles happen some times and not other times? Because God knows in that situation, He will get all the glory. No other thing will explain it. It might be for one person. It might be for a million people. Everything we do should be to Give God The Glory (GGTG).
Going back to the mosquitoes and the end times, is it that the end will come when everything God created turns into 'everything man created'?
The Bible starts out: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Is it that in the end it will be when no glory is given to God?: In the end, man created the heavens and the earth?
3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light: With fire, you still relied on the sun to get things done during the day. It all changed with electricity. The electric light (bulb) was invented in 1879 by Thomas Edison.
6And God said, Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters: Men have been making islands, although they take a long time and a lot of money.
9And God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear: Man has been making artificial lakes for a long while as well. Some dated back to 5th Century BC in Greece. Greenlake is one example.
11And God said, Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth: We have been forming our own created mix-bred foods. Cloned a sheep. We feed our chicken and cattle corn and not actually let it roam and eat grass. Watch Fast Food Nation. Coworker of mine brought up how her teenage daughter and all her friends now have huge busts. They theorized that it was from all the growth hormones in milk and other products.
20And God said, Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens: The mosquitoes. Man manipulating and taking glory for God's creation. We won't know the real ramifications of releasing a super-mosquito-anti-malaria.
26Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: Now this and animals may be the last frontier from GGTG. There is research replicating real hearts, real tissue. Real humans. Just not the whole thing exactly. DNA altered invitro fertilization is coming. It may already be here. You want a blonde haired, blue eyed little boy? Coming right up!
So more and more we are getting closer to 'act like God'. Creating new organs, cloning people, and restructuring the very nature of animals. I fear that 'In the end, man will have created...'
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