“Living the Abundant Life”
August 21, 2011
John 10:10
Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
My cousin, David Grossman, sent me a book a couple of weeks ago called, “Secrets of Mental Marksmanship” by Linda Miller and Keith Cunningham. The little informative bullet on the front says, “How to fire the perfect shot.” Dave knows I like to shoot when I can, although I’m not into competitive shooting, like my friend Brad is. So I approached this book a little skeptically. But as I read it I quickly saw that this was one of the best “how to” books I have ever read – and I have read a lot of them. Chapter two is on the power of your mind, Chapter three is the Power in your world (having to do with positive reinforcements and focus and so forth). Some other chapters have to do with increasing your subconscious powers and increasing the power of self-image, the power of preparation and the power of perseverance. The point is that excellence doesn’t ‘just’ happen. Intelligence, natural ability, and the gifts God gave you will only take you so far. You have to exercise your free will to make changes in your life that will improve your life and yourself. God has given us tremendous power in our will. We are about what we have chosen to be. Our parents and our education has a part in it – but our choices have pretty much made us who we are today. If we can learn to fire the perfect shot – do you think maybe we can learn to become the man or woman God wants us to be? Here’s a couple of things I know:
1. God has a plan for your life.
2. There is a battle being fought for your life.
3. Too many of God’s people are losing the battle
How about you? Do you feel harassed and helpless? Is your life aimless, pointless, and purposeless? Do you feel vulnerable – like that sheep without a shepherd? I have certainly felt that way more than once in my life. I can remember feeling that my life was like a ping pong ball. It just bounced which ever way it is directed by the circumstances of life. Hit a pebble – bounces off this way; skips off the wall – it goes another way; gust of wind hits it and it goes which ever way the wind blows. Aimless, directionless, pointless, purposeless – without control. Been there –done that! Don’t like it! That kind of living is without much joy; not much reward and certainly no peace. The Bible says, “I will show you the most excellent way.” And it does! That is why it is so important to me. That is why I go to it for answers in life.
One of the most important principles that you can discover in life is:
1. God has a plan for your life.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
Do you think you were an accident? Do you think you are a product of chance? Do you really think you weren’t planned? How foolish that is! David said,
“My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:15-16
Jeremiah said,
“The word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:4-5
Rick Warren says, “You were made by God and for God – and until you understand that, life will never make any sense.” In Chapter two of his book, “The Purpose Driven Life” he says,
“You are not an accident. Your birth was no mistake or mishap, and your life is no fluke of nature. Your parents may not have planned you, but God did. He was not at all surprised by your birth. In fact, he expected it! Long before you were conceived by your parents, you were conceived in the mind of God. He thought of you first. It is not fate, chance, or luck, or coincidence that you are breathing at this very moment. You are alive because God wanted to create you!”
He says, “God never does anything accidently, and He never makes mistakes. He has a reason for everything He creates. Every plant and every animal was planned by God, and every person was designed with a purpose in mind.”
Rick Warren does a better job of anyone I know in explaining what we were created for in “The Purpose Driven Life” and I encourage you to read it if you never have – and maybe consider rereading it if you have. It is that important and it will bless your life – but getting back to the point. God has a plan for your life. The Bible in Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4, tell us some of the ways God has gifted us so we can accomplish that purpose He has for our life. Someone said, “God doesn’t call the equipped – He equips the called.” I like that. The world calls and hires those who are the best equipped and the most gifted for a job. God does just the opposite. He calls the least and the weakest – and then equips them. That way we know our successes are really HIS successes.
I want you to get this point very firmly in your mind. “God has a plan for your life.” Unfortunately, most people are not living out that plan. Why? There is war being waged to prevent it. Get this!
2. There is a battle being fought for your life - Jesus said, in John 10:10
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
In the Book of Revelation John says that the dragon (who is Satan) stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he could devour her child the moment it was born. Most scholars agree that the woman was the Church (or God’s People), and the child is Jesus. We know how Satan worked through King Herod to try to destroy Jesus. He had many babies killed while God had to lead Joseph and Mary to safety in Egypt. But John then says when the dragon saw he had been hurled down to the earth – he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.
That’s you and me – the bride of Christ. The Bible says,
“Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
2 Timothy 3:12
Jesus, in the first sermon he preached, said,
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:11-12
God’s Word says, “12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” 1 Peter 4:12-14
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4
God has a plan for our lives – but we have an enemy that will do anything he can to prevent it from happening in our lives. He will lie, steal, deceive, and do anything he can to hinder that plan. Jesus said that – that old thief will steal from you, kill you (or separate you from the Good Shepherd and the other sheep) and ultimately destroy you. That’s his plan. We know that – so we need to be wise. We need to make the right choices. We need to go along with the plan. Unfortunately,
3. Too many of God’s people are losing the battle - Marriages, children, finances, life. Matthew 9:36, says,
“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”
I saw a Barna survey recently. It said that divorce in the church is just as common as outside the church. In the church 33%, outside the church 34%.
Divorce in the west -38%; The south -35%; Midwest 32% and Northeast 28%.
Another striking percentage is that Baptists lead the nation’s major denominations in divorce rates at 29%. Protestant churches overall is at 25%.
The divorce rate amongst the generations is also a bit of surprise:
Seniors (73+) = 18%; 53-72 = 37%; 53-21 = 34%; Busters = 7% . (Most are too young for marriage).
Listen to this news clipping.
“Gambling, robbery, sexual immorality, and violence is prevalent. Half of all children are born out of wedlock; purity and fidelity to the marriage vow are sneered out of fashion. Corruption in politics is rampant. The world is broken.”
Sounds like it came out of today’s newspaper. As a matter of fact, this clipping is from 1694. About this time John Wesley started to preach and revival swept the world. It’s not too late for us. Someone said, “It ain’t over until the fat lady sings.” I think that must be a paraphrase of “When Gabriel blows his horn – it’s over.”
Well, he hasn’t sounded that finial trumpet yet – so we still have time to change our world around. Even if we don’t – wouldn’t you rather go down trying? I know I would. I have said I know these three things:
1. God has a plan for your life.
2. There is a battle being fought for your life.
3. Too many of God’s people are losing the battle
Here’s another thing I know. 4. Jesus came to bring victory. That which the world feared the most – the cross – He made into a symbol of love. That which we so greatly dread – death and the grave – He overcame. Paul said,
“Death has been swallowed up in victory. “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:54-57
“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:37-39
John said, “for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” 1 John 5:4
Folks, we are victors! We are conquerors! We are overcomers! Peter says,
“You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God…” 1 Peter 2:9
You need to know who you are – and who you belong to. You need to know what side you are on – and you get to choose! I want to end this message by encouraging you to do three things.
1. Seek the Shepherd. Jesus said,
“All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.” John 6:37
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33
It is not gonna be an accident if you get to heaven. It is gonna be on purpose. It is going to be because you made a clear choice to accept Jesus as your Savior and because you made Him your Lord. Seek the Shepherd.
Secondly, Study. Study God and His Word. He has revealed Himself primarily through his Word, but also all around us – in the things he has made. Paul encourages,
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15
How foolish to never spend time studying the most important things in life. Most people fall into the traps of laziness or apathy and complacency. Don’t do it. Choose to go to church regularly. Choose to join a Bible Study Group. Discipline yourself to study God’s Word a little each day. And certainly, don’t forget to spend time in communion with Him. Let Him teach you and lead you.
Lastly, Strive. Strive to Grow. Strive to walk the talk. The Bible says,
“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation” 1 Peter 2:2
“ Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.” Hebrews 4:11
“So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.” 2 Peter 3:14
“Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”
“He (Jesus) said to them, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.” Luke 13:23-24
Seek, Study, Strive. There are too many of us who take this magnificent plan of God for granted. We get side tracked. We get too busy. We are at war – and we need to realize it and fight the good fight of faith.
This week – let determine to do better; become better than ever. It will be worth it.
