Tag Archives: Abundance

LIVING THE ABUNDANT LIFE IN CHRIST

December 13, 2018 1:30 am , Leave a Comment ,

Many years ago during one of the hardest seasons of my life, I learned the most about abundant living. While battling hardships and trials, I sought the Lord for the answers to my problems, and He diligently answered me. He led me to a Scripture in the Bible that jumped off the pages when I read it.

Deuteronomy 30:6 says, “Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.”

In these verses, I found the answer to what my heart longed to know. The word ‘circumcise’ is derived from a Latin word meaning, to cut. In the midst of excruciating trials, it felt like my heart was being circumcised. God was cutting away the idols in my heart that were hindering me from fully loving Him and fully living life. The process was painful, but ultimately it led me to the abundance my soul was longing for.

Everyone wants to live abundantly. The Bible says that Jesus came to give us life, and to give it more abundantly (John 10:10). Yet, how many people truly tap into the abundant life that Christ offers? Could it be the way we view our lives or what we equate happiness with?

For a season in my youthful years, I was seeking abundance in the wrong places, which led to disappointment. In God’s infinite grace, He took me through a season of testing, so that I would come forth as pure gold (Job 23:10). Through the stretching and tests, He led me to the true source of abundance.

The things in my past, that were the hardest to endure, are what led me to the abundant life in Christ—a life of genuine joy and peace—that is not determined by things or circumstances. Through the hardships, God gave me a new heart—a heart that rejoices because of His love.

Are you in the midst of being pulled and stretched? Do you feel as though life is caving in around you?

To be rebuilt, a house needs to be torn down first. It can be an excruciating process. Do not lose heart. God is building a beautiful spiritual house out of your life. He uses every loss and every struggle to bring good in the lives of those who love Him and live according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Nothing He allows in our lives is in vain. He uses it all.

For a child of God, it is pure joy to face trials because we know that no matter what is happening, Jesus is walking along beside us and carrying us through all of life’s hard situations.

Christ wants for us to love Him with all of our hearts, so that we can truly live abundantly and bask in His great love. In loving Jesus Christ more than anything or anyone, we can’t be shaken. When our lives are built upon Christ, we can’t lose our foundation and nothing or nobody can steal our joy.

Countless people in the world have been duped into believing that abundant living is found in wealth and material riches.  The true abundant life is found in knowing Christ deeply. Jesus is everything—when we know this, then we know that any other good thing we have in life is only the icing on the cake.

May you enjoy Jesus this Christmas season and find hope through Him in the weariness of life.

Lord, I thank You for the abundance of joy and peace that You give to us in all seasons of life. Help us to continually look to You as our only source. Let us keep our eyes fixed upon You and enjoy You every day. Let us be content in all circumstances and know You are all we really need to live abundantly. We pray in Your name, Christ. Amen.

“You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:5

This revised post was originally written in 2008.

© Copyright 2018 – LIVE ABUNDANTLY NOW

Posted in: Devotions , Tagged: , , ,

REVELING IN THE BEAUTY OF THE CROSS

March 31, 2015 6:18 pm , Leave a Comment ,

It is finished.

The beauty of the springtime flowers is breathtaking. Every year, as the wintertime barrenness is overtaken by new life, it simply amazes me.

This year in Georgia, it seemed as though the change was instant. I don’t recall another time when the seasons have changed so abruptly.

During my jogs, I noticed the flowers popping up through the dirt and the plants that were lying dormant were showing signs of life even before the weather changed. The plants and flowers were obviously ready and waiting to come alive as soon as the first sign of warmth emerged in the atmosphere.

As I’ve been reflecting on the emerging beauty of the new season, it made me think of the resurrection of Christ and His power to resurrect life out of the barren places in our souls.

As quickly as the seasons change—the condition of our hearts change when we turn away from those things that deaden our spirits (see Ephesians 4: 22-24). 

In my past, there were yucky things—bitterness, fear, pride, self-righteousness, and on and on the list goes—embedded in my heart, and they were keeping me from experiencing a beautiful, new life in Christ. The day I realized how simple it is to live fully alive and free in Christ, I received a new heart and never looked back to the past.

Christ died an agonizing death so that we can live abundantly and free from all the things that weigh us down. When we stumble, we can simply pray, Lord, please forgive me for that mistake. Then the Lord embraces us in our brokenness, and His reply is always filled with love…I imagine Him saying, “Yes, beloved one, you are forgiven for every mistake you’ve ever made and every mistake you’ll ever make in the future. Rise up and live with no regrets, and let Me help you walk in the Spirit, free from the grips of sin and shame and doubt and all things that burden your soul.”

 Jesus said, “It is finished.” We do not ever have to agonize over our failures or mistakes again.

Are you living in the finished work of the cross? Are you living abundantly in Christ?

My prayer this Easter week is that you will breathe in the loveliness of the springtime flowers and revel in the beauty of Christ’s magnificent gift to mankind.

Posted in: Devotions , Tagged: , , , , , , ,

THE ABUNDANT LIFE

December 2, 2013 7:15 pm , 4 Comments ,

John 10.10

During one of the hardest seasons of my life I learned the most about abundant living. My husband had been laid off from a good job, I was working tirelessly to make ends meet and life was very stressful. I wanted desperately for my circumstances to change.

While battling hardships and trials, I sought the Lord for the answers to my problems, and He diligently answered me. He led me to a Scripture in the Old Testament that jumped off the pages when I read it.

Deuteronomy 30:6 says, “The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love Him with all your heart, and with all your soul, and live.”

In these verses, I found the answer to what my heart longed to know. The word ‘circumcise’ is derived from a Latin word meaning, to cut. In the midst of excruciating trials, it felt like my heart was being circumcised. God was cutting away the things inside me that were hindering me from fully loving Him and fully living life. The process was, at times, excessively painful. But ultimately it led me to the abundance my soul was longing for.

Everyone wants to live abundantly. The Bible says that Jesus came to give us life, and to give it more abundantly (John 10:10). Yet how many people truly tap into the abundant life that Christ offers? Could it be the way we view our lives, or what we equate happiness with? For a season, I was seeking abundance in the wrong places, which led to more disappointment.

In God’s infinite grace, He took me through a season of testing because He wanted to lead me to the true source of abundance.

Are you in the midst of being pulled and stretched? Do you feel as though life is caving in around you?

To be rebuilt, a house needs to be torn down first. It can be an excruciating process. Do not lose heart. God is building a beautiful house out of your life. He uses every loss and every struggle for our good. Nothing He allows in our lives is in vain. He uses it all.

The things in my past, that were the hardest to endure, are what led me to the abundant life in Christ—a life of genuine joy and peace—that is not determined by things or circumstances.

Through the hardships, God gave me a new heart—a heart that rejoices because of His love.

It really is pure joy for a child of God to face trials because we know that no matter what is happening, Jesus is walking along beside us, carrying us, allowing us to bask in His great love at all times and in all circumstances.

Jesus is everything—when we know this, then we know that any other good thing we have in life is only the icing on the cake.

Lord, I thank You for the abundance of joy and peace that You give to us. Help us to look to You as our only source. Let us be content in all circumstances and know You are all we really need to live abundantly. I pray in Your name, Christ. Amen.

“You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:5 (NASB)

This post has been revised and was originally written in 2008.

Posted in: Devotions , Tagged: , , , , , , ,