Tuesday, February 28, 2017

More Life

How can you have more life?  I don't mean to ask, how can you live longer.  But how can you have more life from God?  Look at 1 Thessalonians four verse three and then verse seven.  "It is God's will that you should be sanctified..." and "God did not call us to be impure..."  Paul goes on in the next paragraph to stress that we should grow in love for brothers and sisters more and more.  Finally in the next paragraph, he stresses that we should work with out hands and abilities so that we are not dependent on anybody.  You can grow in purity, in love and in the work and service you give with your hands.

Jesus said in John chapter ten, that he came to give us life, abundant life, life to the full.  When you were saved, you were given new life.  But what if there is more life to receive from God!  As I grow in the Lord, as he sanctifies my heart, mind, emotions and responses, I gain more life!  As I grow in love for people, in purity of heart and willingness to serve, I gain more life.  As I work with my hands and talents, I am not dependent on others, the government, my church, my family, I gain more life!

I recently did a funeral for a wonderful believer.  The family asked me to read from her journal.  I found a 20 year old entry titled, "Things I am Thankful For."  This dear saint wrote this at seventy-two years of age.  Item one said, "I am thankful for my job so that I am not dependent on anybody."  She nearly quotes the scripture in her thanks.  She was living a full life!

I encourage you today from Hebrews twelve, "...throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."  As a follower and believer in Jesus, you have life, but there is more to have as we walk closer to him.

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