On Abundance

Thinking on our spiritual lives and the reality of what surrounds us in this culture.  I often have to remind myself to take my eyes off of the world and worry, and restart walking in faith.  Be that with my family, my kids, my schooling or my fascinating employment situation.  And, when I can take hands off, things do go oh so much better, I learn more and everyone else is going crazy - not me!

So, thinking on Luke 12:13-21 and John 10:10 for right now.

Abundance is God Given.
It is NOT man-made however.  Abundance is not found in our creature comforts, in our circumstances, in our feelings or impressions, certainly will not be found through the accumulation of stuff.  No, living in abundant life is not easily done at all!

He wants you live abundantly!
Be glad, God wants to bless you!  That blessing is the abundant life.

We are a new creature, once we have found life in Jesus, as the Christ.  With that comes a new life.  Are you living it?  Or just hanging on to the old comfortable one?

That new life is for now, living here on this earth, not for Heaven - though some book writers would like you to think it is a future blessing, for a future life.  So, what exactly are we supposed to be living in the here and now?

• God's Grace
• Jesus' Love

Think on these references, yeah there are more, but this is supposed to be fun to think on!  Psalms 56:7-8; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Ephesians 3:20; Philippians 4:19; Romans 8:37.

That abundance should be like a Tsunami in your life!  You have unlimited Grace from God and unlimited Love.  Just think about it!  How would it change your life if you could step out your door this morning and FORGIVE others, no matter what they do to you?  How would having LOVE change your associations with your friends, family and even complete strangers.  A love that brings you nothing in return.  A love that is genuine.....  The Tsunami hits!  The water of God's love and grace, swirling around everything in your life, drowning out the chaos, the self seeking, the idols of our lives.  And it just keeps coming - as long as we are able to walk in faith....

Beware!
We have a very sneaky enemy.  He just lives for finding ways to steal your abundance from you!  He comes as a thief and honestly wants to destroy you, deflect God's blessings from you, make you as ineffectual as possible.

We have seen through the tireless eyes of the media the scores of Christian ministers and teachers whom have been misled to their own destruction, taking with them their churches, their sheep, destroying families, marriages and the fulfillment in life which is due others.

Jesus warned us almost 2,000 years ago, and we still do not listen to his words!  Nor are we as watchful and vigilant as we must be!  Well, at least I tend to drop my guard when all is well, or when I feel safe and secure.  Do you?   Is it any wonder then  that we get into the situations we do and then lose everything through exposure to the world for our sin!?!?!?!?!?  GAAAAACK!

Becareful!
The world, just in an of itself, and of course our Accuser are always waiting, always yearning to provide us with the distractions necessary to led us away from God, Jesus, Church, even our testimony!

You can be misled by your looks into the Fame and Fortune the world offers and lose your soul.
You might have a talent which rockets you to the FF world as well, with the same results.
Money and the pursuit of power both led you far form where God would have you.
No matter how PIUS you are, write a book, become famous, wake up far from where you were.

So is there a standard formula?  Fame + Fortune + Fun = "success", repeat as necessary until "happy".  Don't you just love the world's lies?  Just look at all of the happiness in Hollywood!  And how often do we seen in the headlines, the tragedies of these peoples lives whom have bought into the lie?

Walk away today with the idea that only God can give abundantly, of what you really need..  No God does not need beautiful people, whom fard their faces regularly.  He do not need millionaire Christians, nor politicians, etc.  He just needs an army of everyday people living their faith where they are in life, willing to forgive through God's Grace, willing to Love through Jesus' Love, willing to give their last nickel to make an impact in others lives.....