September
2018
Message
from Pastor Tom,
The
many pressures of this life can weigh a lot of us down. We run around busier
and busier than ever, not knowing how to free ourselves up to live more abundantly.
Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and
destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” John
10:10 (NIV). To the full means
abundance, but what does abundance really mean?
Throughout Scripture we read of God’s
many blessings to His people. The books of Joshua and Psalms tell us we can be
prosperous and many Proverbs actually explain how we can prosper. Paul often spoke
about life being exceedingly abundant, even in times of his own great
suffering. Why? Because Paul found his life sufficient in Christ. Jesus warned
there would be trouble in the life of all believers, and I’m sure every one of
us has suffered, some more than others. Yet Scripture also promises God shall
supply all our needs and will give us peace that surpasses all understanding. Faith should play a huge part in every
aspect of our Christian life, because without faith there can be no hope, and
without hope there is no life worth living. Every Believer can experience
abundance when we allow the Holy Spirit indwelled within each one of us to
renew our life.
It
is this new life in Christ that allows us to become more aware of the
incredible Kingdom of God within and around us by accepting Jesus’ offer of a
fuller life. Let Him help you to move beyond a routine, fearful and limited
existence, fully embracing each day for the gift it is, living a fuller,
happier, more productive life discovering more of your spiritual potential.
Family, we don’t have to wait for heaven, we can begin honoring God right now
by living life abundantly. Ecclesiastes 5:19-20 stated, “Moreover, when God
gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept
their lot and be happy in their toil - this is a gift of God. They seldom
reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with
gladness of heart.” In other words, God
has decided the best way for us to live is to take care of
ourselves, have a good time, and make the most of whatever jobs we have for as
long as He gives us life. It’s as simple as that. We should make the most of
what God gives to us, not just the abundance, but also the capacity to enjoy
it, accepting what He has given and delighting in the work, because it is God’s
gift! God gives us joy in the present, so it’s useless to worry over how long
we might live.
When I was being treated for throat
cancer, the radiation destroyed my taste buds and for the longest time I no
longer enjoyed food. I could smell of course and the aroma was wonderful, but when
I went to eat, there was nothing. You see I lost the joy, the excitement, the
anticipation of amazing flavors exploding in my mouth, savoring the taste of
every morsel. All that was left was disappointment. I quickly lost my appetite
and literally only ate to survive. But then months passed and by the Grace of
God, slowly but surely almost all my taste returned, and I have never again taken
this gift for granted. Once again I could delight in food, much to the
detriment of my waistline (so remember, God also told us to take care of
ourselves).
You see God doesn’t just give us food
in order to sustain life. He delights in our enjoyment. He gave us the gift of
taste so we could enjoy it. Much the same as He gave us the gifts of sight,
hearing, feeling and smelling to enjoy and delight in our surroundings. All the
beautiful and wondrous things around us we take for granted in our busy, busy
lives… unless we lose one of them, and then suffer the frustration and pain of
loss. We don’t want to have to lose something in order to appreciate the gifts
God has lovingly and abundantly given us. We need to open our eyes to the miracle
of the moment and to God. For when we do, we allow the Holy Spirit to bring
about an inner spiritual awakening that alters our perception and lets us see
with new eyes. God has provided abundantly for us and we need to find our life
sufficient in Christ just as Paul did. The life God has given us is a precious
gift and the message of Jesus will free us to live the hopes and dreams in our
heart. “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have
been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going
to the Father” John 14:12.
So
what is and abundant life? It is not what we have or what we get or even what
we claim, it’s ultimately about what we receive as a gift from God, realizing we
are stewards of these blessings. It is about sharing these blessings and our
life with others, sharing the light of Jesus and being rewarded with the fruit
of the Holy Spirit, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Against such things there is no law” Galatians 5:22-23.
Heidi
and I pray each of us are lifted out of our old way of thinking, to be
transformed so each moment of our life will take on new meaning with an
appreciation of the gifts God bestows on us every day. Praise God for abundant
living!
Thank
you for taking the time to read this, as always I hope it spiritually enriches
you.
Blessings
from a pastor and his wife,
So from now on we regard no one from a
worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no
longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old
has gone, the new is here! 2
Corinthians 5:16-17
