Category Archives: Christian Walk with God

The Christian walk with God the Father, made possible due to Jesus’ death on the cross, is a love relationship resulting in Christ-like character and ways.

Living an Abundant Life? – How to Have It

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How to Have the Abundant Life Jesus Came to Give“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (Jesus, Jn. 10:10) — We need to understand just what Jesus was saying by breaking down and studying the verse.  Knowing what He said, however is only the starting point.  We need to see the implications of it for our own lives. Even more essential is that we live it out, but how?

How Can We Live the Abundant Life Jesus Came to Give Us?

To answer that question, we will have to get into the paradoxes of the Christian life … lose in order to find, die in order to live, deny self in order to gain.

Living within the abundant life Christ came to give requires dying to self for it is HIS LIFE in me that makes life so full and abundant.  “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.” (Matt. 16:25)

Here’s Why Dying to Self is Necessary:

  • My perspective isn’t broad enough.
  • My efforts aren’t good enough.
  • My intentions aren’t pure enough.
  • My love isn’t deep enough.
  • My thoughts and ways aren’t high enough.

The abundant life cannot be found in “me.”  Only when I lay all that down will I truly find the abundant life Jesus came to give for His plans, power, and personhood are broad enough, good enough, pure enough, deep enough, and high enough to produce not only life but life to the full.  — Be Sure to Read: Living an Abundant Life is Possible Because of Jesus

Here’s How It Works:

Unless I die, I can’t be raised up.  Unless I am raised up, I can’t see life from a position that enables me to live it abundantly.

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.  (Eph. 2:6-7)

We have to see life from His perspective and live it by His power.  Otherwise attempts to live an abundant life will take on a worldly skew and be no better than what we can muster up.  Certainly that won’t be sufficient to be considered abundant.

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Living an Abundant Life? – The Difference it Makes

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The Difference an Abundant Life in Jesus Makes“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (Jesus, Jn. 10:10) — A previous post briefly exposited Jesus’ claim to give us an abundant life. You were asked, “What do Jesus words mean to you?  What do they mean for your ministry?”  Here I’d like to share the implications of these words to my life which I am sure should hold true for you as well.

The Difference Jesus’ Claim to Give Abundant Life Makes

For me, having an abundant life means that:

  • I can be an overcomer in whatever challenges I face.  As the Apostle Paul said, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” (2 Cor. 4:8-9)  — If I have life to the full in Christ, why should I let myself feel like a victim?
  • I can be content in whatever conditions I live.  Paul also said, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Phil. 4:11-13)  — If I have life to the full in Christ, why should I let dissatisfaction surge within me when I have all I really need?
  • I can be joyful in whatever conflict I endure.  In praying for our protection in John 17, Jesus said, “I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.”  — If I have life to the full in Christ, why should I let discouragement consume me because of what people say or do when He is my all sufficiency and what He thinks is enough?
  • I can be at peace in whatever concerns I feel.  Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (Jn. 14:27)  — If I have life to the full in Christ, why should I let life overwhelm me when He promises to take care of me and is faithful and able to fulfill His word?
  • I can be confident in whatever charge I am given.  Paul prayed for those God led him to serve saying that he was “confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 1:6)  — If I have life to the full in Christ, why should I let fear overtake me in ministry when my competence is in Him?

Is this the kind of life you want?  The next post looks at how to have abundant life.

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Living an Abundant Life? – Jesus’ Claim

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Jesus' Claim of Abundant Life
“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

   — Jesus, Jn. 10:10

What do Jesus words mean to you?  What does His claim mean for your ministry?

To answer those questions you need to first understand just what He is saying.

Begin By Better Understanding Jesus’ Claim to Give Abundant Life

John 10 lays the groundwork for Jesus’ claim with an analogy about how the gate is the only legitimate way into the sheep pen.  Then He asserts, “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.” (Jn. 10:7-9)

Thieves and robbers try to get in by other ways to steal or destroy the sheep.  They don’t care about the sheep other than profiting off of them.  In contrast, Jesus, who later in the chapter is identified as the Good Shepherd, protects and provides for the sheep.

Against this backdrop Jesus says, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

“I”

“I” refers to the One who is the Gate, the way in.  Remember what Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

For More, Go To: Living an Abundant Life is Possible Because of Jesus

“have come”
This refers to Jesus’ first coming wherein He ultimately died on the cross to make it possible for us to enter into a relationship with God.
“that”
There was a reason for Jesus’ coming.  In Luke 19:10 Jesus said, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”  John 10:10 takes that verse a step further.
“they”
Jesus came for the sheep who needed a Shepherd (Mk. 6:34).  These are people for whom He has compassion who are “harassed and helpless” (Matt. 9:36).  Each of the individual sheep matter to Him (Lk. 15:4-7).
“may have”
The word “may” indicates that they are able to have life.  Jesus made the reality of this kind of life possible.  Also notice that it says “have” — present tense, not “will have.”  This is not simply a future hope but a present reality.
“life”
Jesus gave lost sheep the ability to live, truly live.  Without Christ we are living in death, eternal separation from God — nothingness.  He, however, came so that we may have eternal life, His life in us — something of great value and meaning.
“and have it to the full”
Jesus came not just to give life but fullness of life  — a vibrant, flowing life, not a trickle of it or an occasional flow.  Nothing is stagnant about this life but rather energized and going somewhere.  Be sure to note that He is not saying He came to give a problem-free life but a full life.  In John 16:33 Jesus warns that “in this world you will have trouble.”  Part of what it means to have an abundant, full life, then, is that even in a world filled with troubles, you can have joy and be content and at peace because He goes on to say, “But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Now that you have taken a closer look at the verse, let me again ask — What do Jesus words mean to you?  What does His claim mean for your ministry?

In the next post we’ll look at the difference this abundant life makes.

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Don’t Just Survive, Thrive: Need for Perspective

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I’m sure you would agree that in today’s world we need a healthy perspective if we are going to not only survive but thrive.  The comfort and encouragement of others will only take us so far.  We need to make some semblance of sense of our world.

Encarta’s World English Dictionary defines perspective as:

1) a particular evaluation of something

2) a measured or objective assessment of a situation

The most reliable source for perspective is God’s Word.

So often we struggle in life because we are viewing life from a skewed perspective. The most reliable source of objectivity is God’s Word. The Bible is the basis upon which our situations must be measured or evaluated.

Sometimes, however, we can know the truth in our heads but it doesn’t always sink deep into our hearts and manifest itself in our reactions and decisions.

What will help get truth from our heads to our hearts during times of crisis?

repeated exposure to truth

God tells us to meditate on Him and His Word so that with repeated exposure, through His Spirit, the truth begins to take root not only in our heads but also in our hearts. 40 Day Challenges are usually rooted in this understanding of what it takes to drive truth home.

deliberate choices regardless of feelings

Sometimes it comes down to making a deliberate, conscientious choice to pattern what we do after the Lord regardless of our feelings or personal bents.  Perspective requires assessment against an objective standard, not simply going with the flow or with what “feels” right.  At no time should we hide behind our personalities or conditioning as an excuse to stay where we are or sin.  Healthy perspective is rooted in God and His Word, not in us.  When our perspective is patterned after Him, He doesn’t eradicate what is uniquely us.  Rather, He transforms it into something even better.  When we act on what we know to be true, regardless of feelings, we see God’s faithfulness which helps to generate a heart response.

If you need help gaining perspective, perhaps some of the books listed below will help.  Clicking on a title will take you to our affiliate store where you can learn more about the book.

If you are a Bible Teacher, help your students gain perspective. The worksheet, Crisis Strikes, gives you a few tips on how to help students turn to the Lord with their anxieties.  You can be instrumental in helping them not only survive but thrive.

If you struggle with objectively assessing situations, download the free 40 Day Challenge to Maintaining a Healthy Perspective.

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Don’t Just Survive, Thrive: Need for Presence

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The apostle Paul described himself as “harassed at every turn — conflicts on the outside, fears within” (2 Cor. 7:5).  His life was in crisis.  Notice what God used to provide the comfort and renewal he needed . . . other believers.

But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever. (2 Cor. 7:6-7)

To thrive and not just survive takes perspective but usually there must first come the realization of presence … the presence of God Himself and other believers ministering to our souls, being there for and with us.

How We Can Provide Presence in People’s Lives Who are in Crisis

We are at a place in our lives of being able to comfort others when we ourselves have known God’s comfort (2 Cor. 1:3-4). We don’t have to go through an identical situation to be there for others.  And, we don’t need an official position (i.e., pastor, teacher, counselor, etc.) to be able to help people who are struggling or are in crisis.  We simply need to obey the one another commands of Scripture.

Bear one another’s burdens

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Gal. 6:2)

Bear with one another

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. (Eph. 4:2)

Care for one another

. . . so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. (1 Cor. 12:25)

Comfort one another

Therefore encourage each other with these words. (1 Thess. 4:18)

Encourage one another

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. (1 Thess. 5:11)

Be Kind to one another

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Eph. 4:32)

Love one another

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another. (Rom. 13:8)

Pray for one another

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)

Serve one another

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature ; rather, serve one another in love. (Gal. 5:13)

Spur one another on

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. (Heb. 10:24)

Keep in mind that people don’t have to personally experience a crisis to be affected by it.  That point is brought home in a teacher training worksheet called, Crisis Strikes.  Let’s be there for one another whether the threat is real or perceived so we learn to thrive and not just survive.

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Walk with God: Being AND Doing

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The importance of a small word … AND … cannot be over-emphasized.  A lopsided approach to our walk with God leads to deficiencies and inconsistencies.

Three key combinations of being and doing in the New Testament

Spirit AND Truth (Jn. 4:24)

Faith AND Works  (James 2:14-26)

Grace AND Truth  (Jn. 1:14, 17)

What Happens When we Take an Either/Or or Lopsided Approach:

If we focus on spirit, faith, and grace, we can potentially walk by emotion or licentiously.  Experience matters most.  We tend to make decisions subjectively.  We can get caught up in the means or process to the neglect of the end result.

If we focus on truth and works, we can potentially walk cerebrally or legalistically.  Evidence matters most.  We tend to make decisions objectively but can be callous in the implementation.  We can get caught up in the end result to the neglect of the means or process of getting there.

Note the “AND” in the Greatest Commandment:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart AND with all your soul AND with all your mind AND with all your strength. (Mk. 12:30)

God wants us to love Him with our emotions as well as our knowledge, our attitudes as well as our actions.  And, God wants us to love Him with all, not some, of our heart, soul, mind, AND strength.

“Being” is the Starting Point in Our Walk with God

Who we are inside affects what we do so it is vitally important that we guard the heart above all else (Prov. 4:23).

For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.  (Matt. 12:34)

The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. (Lk. 6:45)

Are you a Bible teacher? – The Be-Attitudes for Teachers book brings in this balance.  This teacher training devotional puts a heavy emphasis on “being” but being that turns into doing what is best in the classroom.

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