Abundant Life!
Sounds pretty amazing, does it not?! Jesus lays it out for us in the following verse…
John 10:10
10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
He says His purpose is Life! Purpose is defined as …. 1. the reason for which something exists or is done, made, used, etc
Jesus exists, thus Life is! Or another way to look at it… Life happens because Jesus Is.
Lets look at the following verses in light of this bold claim by Jesus …
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6
Colossians 1:6
for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see–such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.
Romans 11:36
36 For from him and through him and for him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen.
Acts 17:28
28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’
John 15:5
5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”
No matter where we are on the road called life, Jesus’ offer is for any and all.
John 7:37-38
37 It was the last and most important day of the Feast. Jesus stood up and spoke in a loud voice. He said, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Does anyone believe in me? Then, just as Scripture says, streams of living water will flow from inside him.”
Streams Of Living Water!!
Sounds Abundant! Imagine a natural spring flowing. You don’t know where it comes from but it is amazing. The water is so clear, pure and refreshing It just bubbles up and shows no signs of an end or a beginning- it appears to be eternal. That’s what Jesus is talking about… What He is offering! LIFE…… But there is a catch. It comes with a price.
Matthew 16:25
“If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.” – Jesus
I close with this excerpt from Beautiful Outlaw on life… Here’s to life – Jonathan
Life
The word I choose to describe Jesus is life. Pure, lush, exuberant Life. Life that proves to be unquenchable, unstoppable, indestructible. As John summarized the whole affair, “In him was life, and that light was the light of men” (1:4). It sure was.
Nature is bursting with life—even after all these years of war. Now, what would happen if this sort of life expressed itself in a man? Exactly. It did.
When Jesus fed the five thousand, the tally counted only men. So the crowd was probably more like ten thousand including women and children. From fives loaves and two (small) fish. With leftovers. He doesn’t even say anything in Cana after, “Fill the jars.” The 180 gallons of wine are suddenly just . . . there. With a shout he raises Lazarus from the dead. One word best describes what is going on here: life. Jesus really is the Lord of Life.
Now for a wonder of wonders—not only do you get Jesus, you get to live his life. Really. Everything you’ve seen here, everything you’ve read about, this life is yours for the asking. That is what Jesus believed. That was his understanding of our desperation and his mission.
(Beautiful Outlaw, 225, 226)
Leave It With Him!
The walk of Faith is a lot like fishing. Maybe that’s why Jesus was attracted to fishermen.
I must admit, I am not very good at fishing. Now, catching … I love to catch fish! I think, Fishing is a lot like life. It takes preparation, patience and perseverance.
A successful fisherman knows failure, setbacks and the storms of life. What moves him forward is an undying hope in the next cast. That success is just a cast away! They live in the moment… They are in the game! As long as they have their pole and bait…there is hope! There is a saying in poker that I love- No matter how bad things look- as long as you have a chip and a chair… You have hope- your still alive.
To stay in the moment, free from fear and past failure…. To allow hope and faith to reign, to thrive no matter what! This was and still is how we were created to live.. To Thrive!
1 Peter 5:7
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Psalm 55:22
Young’s Literal Translation
Cast on Jehovah that which He hath given thee, And He doth sustain thee, He doth not suffer for ever the moving of the righteous.
Hebrews 4:15-16
The High Priest Who Cried Out in Pain
14-16 Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.
—–
Yes, leave it with Him,
The lilies all do,
And they grow–
They grow in the rain,
And they grow in the, dew–
Yes, they grow:
They grow in the darkness, all hid in the night–
They grow in the sunshine, revealed by the light–
Still they grow.
Yes, leave it with Him
‘Tis more dear to His heart,
You will know,
Than the lilies that bloom,
Or the flowers that start
‘Neath the snow:
Whatever you need, if you seek it in prayer,
You can leave it with Him–for you are His care.
You, you know.
–Selected– from Streams in the Desert
Luke 12:27
25-28 “Has anyone by fussing before the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? If fussing can’t even do that, why fuss at all? Walk into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They don’t fuss with their appearance—but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them. If God gives such attention to the wildflowers, most of them never even seen, don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?” – Jesus Of Nazareth
Bellarive – I Know You
Dry your eyes
I see you
Come inside the doorway
Don’t you hide, My child
Place your hand in Mine
I know, I know you
I know you know I love you
I know, I know you
My grace invites you
Home
Life nor death will keep you
You don’t have to fear
Nothing comes between us
In the end you’re Mine
You’ll be just fine
You’re Mine
In the end you’re Mine
I know, I know you
I know you know I love you
I know, I know you
(You know me, yes, You know me)
My grace invites you
(Your grace, it invites me)
Luke 17:33
33 If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it.
So, give your all to Him! Whatever is meant to live… Will live Abundantly! Then, Whatever was meant to die, will die. Those were the things keeping you from really living anyways!
Hebrews 12:1
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
Let Freedom Ring! Jonathan
The Devils Glory
Psalm 16:3
3 As for the saints who are in the land,
they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight.
-GLORIOUS-
– Having a striking beauty or splendor that evokes feelings of delighted admiration.
– Conferring or advancing glory
– Having or deserving glory
Synonyms
splendid – famous – gorgeous – magnificent –
Our adversary’s only goal is this- To Keep the saints from shining, robbing them of their glory.
You see, he exchanged his glory for a lie and became the father of lies. So, he roams around looking for unsuspecting saints unaware and unprepared for his robbing, lying ways.
Just look at what Jesus has said about our enemy-
John 10:10
10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy.
John 8:44
44 He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
1 Peter 5:8
8 Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
The rest of the Story is found in the later part of John 10:10
“My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” Jesus of Nazareth
So, If you want the life Jesus speaks of, you must be intentional and fight for it!
Remember, We don’t earn it or deserve it- it is a free gift! So, our fight is not to gain or win the gift but to hold onto it no matter how bad things seem. Because Jesus promised life would be hard- that we would face many trials that would test our faith.
John 16:33
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
The great battle for life has been won! Jesus won it on our behalf. So, let us receive this incredible gift and hold onto Jesus- our PERFECT GIFT for real life!
John 15:5
5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
Here are some verses to assist you in your fight for Life.
For Life, Jonathan
Our Defense-
– The Truth- Gods word
– The mighty name of Jesus
– The Counselor- Holy Spirit
– Grace through Faith
Ephesians 6:13-16
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
James 4:
6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
Romans 10:13
13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”[a]
Proverbs 18:10
10 The name of the Lord is a strong fortress;
the godly run to him and are safe.
Philippians 2:10
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
John 14:26
25-27 “I’m telling you these things while I’m still living with you. The Friend, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send at my request, will make everything plain to you. He will remind you of all the things I have told you. I’m leaving you well and whole. That’s my parting gift to you. Peace. I don’t leave you the way you’re used to being left—feeling abandoned, bereft. So don’t be upset. Don’t be distraught.”
Ephesians 2:8-10
7-10 Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.
Daily thought… Daily Prayer…Word
We all need daily words/reminders that help us remember who we are and whose we are. To insure us against our flesh and the Devils schemes.
It is my hope and prayer for myself and you, that by His Grace and power through the Spirit and Word, that we would daily remember our place, position and authority. That we would live by this prayer and meditation or something like it that helps us stay connected to the Giver and Sustainer of all life.
Here are Two verses I keep at the forefront of my heart and mind- Blessings, Jonathan
WORD
John 10:10
10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
John 15:5
5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”
THOUGHT
We/I think things should happen at a certain time.. the time I think makes sense. This thinking causes us to attempt to put God on our time tables. To, promote us above God! Of course when you think about it like this it sounds obsurd. Well, that is how obsurd it is for us to elavate our thoughts and ways above His. To deceive ourselves into thinking that we know best or have a better way! In essence.. it is pride, the pride we inherited from the father of lies.
PRAYER
“Thank-you Lord that you are in control and that I can walk with you, trusting and obeying. That I don’t need to figure it all out, but simply trust you and pray for wisdom, insight and the willingness to obey you no matter what. No matter how I see, think, feel or perceive.. I am to trust and obey and receive your peace that passes all understanding. Thank-you for your word, our manual for life, and our counselor-your Spirit! I know that I am not alone… that I don’t have to go it alone and rely on myself to figure life out! Thank-you! Please accept my flawed attempt to love you in return for your perfect love for me. I rest in you being God and me being your son. Thanks Abba Father!” Amen
First Love
Below is an excerpt from a post I wrote on August 3rd 2010. It’s entitled- Parking Tickets, Patience and Giving Up Control
**** Why is patience so hard for us? I think it is a deep seeded need to control. Which is opposite of living in relationship. In a healthy relationship there is an absence of control or maybe at best in the human condition… an awareness of our controlling ways. Control is a desire for power which is at the root of our fallen nature. The only way for us to find freedom from control is in relationship that frees us from our need for control. Where unconditional love and trust exist… where each person is looking out for the needs of the other… where there is true servitude. At our best, we humans will fall short of this in human to human relating. Only in God, can we be truly safe to give up control.
Prayer… Father, Son and Spirit.. I desire to walk in relationship with you. To daily abide in your love and goodness. Help me to know how lost I am without you. Thank-you that I don’t have to measure up or feel pressure to be good.. to truly know that there is nothing I have to do for you to love me. NOTHING!! I have been so wounded and deceived. Continue to heal my heart and renew my mind. I invite you, gracious and Loving trinity to walk in relationship with me. Revive me. free me up! I love you. Jon*****
When I reread this old post today, one sentence hit me like a ton of bricks! It is in the prayer…..”help me to know how lost I am without you”
As I have said before, our enemy is dead set on taking us out! He is not worried about the carnal man, but the man or woman who comes alive through the love and power of God in Jesus. The person whose heart has been set free- free from posing, legalism, fear, control… Free from religion, all striving and trying to be good enough…in essence , free from trying to add or subtract one thing from the gospel. A person God has brought to this place becomes a marked man or woman and the evil one will come calling with great intent to take this “Alive Heart” out!
You see, by Gods grace and goodness, He brought me to that place of deepest sweet surrender and freedom in January and early February of this year-2012. He had led me to write, Children of Lesser Gods on February 2nd. I told my wife that it was “the hardest post I’ve ever written”. It’s basically a confessional- exposing my poser! I had come to realize that real freedom comes when we are free to be who God created us to be. We drop the “image” we are hiding behind and find our true identity in Christ as “the disciple whom Jesus loves”. My words can’t express the joy that came to me through this. I had “come home” to a love that poets have been trying to describe since the beginning! My focus was drawn away from myself and all the cares of this world and put squarely on the Cross of Christ.
During this time I received my message and calling. The message is based on John 10:10 and 15:5 and my calling is to speak into the brokenness of people.
Prayer -“Jesus, please help me pull this together”.
Revelation 2:4
4-5 “But you walked away from your first love—why? What’s going on with you, anyway? Do you have any idea how far you’ve fallen? A Lucifer fall!
“Turn back! Recover your dear early love. No time to waste, for I’m well on my way to removing your light from the golden circle.
John 21:
3 Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.”
“We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.
17 A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.
I close with this song and a verse that this song, I believe, speaks about. Almost every time I listen to this song I end up wet with tears. I don’t know of a more beautiful song!
Bellarive – I Know You
Dry your eyes
I see you
Come inside the doorway
Don’t you hide, My child
Place your hand in Mine
I know, I know you
I know you know I love you
I know, I know you
My grace invites you
Home
Life nor death will keep you
You don’t have to fear
Nothing comes between us
In the end you’re Mine
You’ll be just fine
You’re Mine
In the end you’re Mine
I know, I know you
I know you know I love you
I know, I know you
(You know me, yes, You know me)
My grace invites you
(Your grace, it invites me)
Romans 8:38
38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.
I did not sleep well last night, which also adds to my state of being. My main prayer always comes back to this. Trust and Rest. Do not give in to the temptation to tie your trust and rest to circumstances or events or endings. But to simply take one day at a time , be thankful and trust and rest. Do not look to the end or conclusion of the trial but to trust and rest in the process knowing that God is good, loving, in control and working all things together for good. To learn to see him in the pain as well as the joy. To be still and know that he is God. Oh heart, settle down! It will be ok.
Trust and Rest- Jonathan
