Again, look at Jesus’ words in John 10:10: “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Satan is a thief and the enemy of God. He hates and wants to destroy anything that God loves. Anyone or anything that is the enemy of God is also the enemy of those who are God’s sons and daughters. Satan hates God, therefore he hates us (Christians) and we can rest assured that he wants to steal us, if he can. If he cannot do that, then he wants to kill us. If that does not work for him, he wants to destroy us. A thief robs and Satan is the master thief. When a person is “born again,” he or she moves from Satan’s kingdom into God’s kingdom and becomes a child of God rather than a child of the devil. If Satan cannot have a person’s soul, he then alters his plan from taking his soul to taking his life -- that is to literally kill him or to rob that Christian of the abundant life that his Heavenly Father wants to give each of His children.
Before going further, let’s look at the definition of “abundant” in the Greek. Strong’s #4053, “peissos,” means “Superabundant, excessive, over flowing, surplus.” Thayer’s Greek English Lexicon of the New Testament adds to Strong’s definition, “super added,” “beyond measure,” “exceedingly abundantly.” WOW! These are words that God plans and wants us to be able to use to describe our lives! The recipe for this life in abundance is to give our hearts and lives to Christ Jesus and then to know His Word and to do it. God’s Word is given to us to light our way through the abundant life.
I am not saying that being a believer causes one to be immune to problems and trials. Again, we must know what God says about that. Through His dear Son, He said: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. In other words, we are all guaranteed trials, but we believers have the hope and confidence that Christ, who dwells in us, has overcome them all. Therefore we have the means within to overcome all negatives that come our way.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
So what is Risikili? I desire for myself and others that we will Risikili – read it, study it, know it, live it. Risikili!
Part 1. “My Plan for You -- Your Heart’s Desire”
“Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105.
“Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against God.”
Psalm 119:11.
“The Word of God is quick (living) and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12.
Knowledge of the above scriptures, that many of us have known seemingly all of our lives, should be enough to compel us to faithfully and diligently read, study, know and live the Word of God. After all, this Word of God, your/my Bible, is the representation of Jesus that we can literally hold in our hands, press to our hearts and see with our earthly eyes.
But knowledge of these scripture passages, that we have just recalled, is obviously not enough. If it were, more believers would be spiritually mature and walking in great faith. If most Christians are familiar with these words and have even memorized them, but are still not hungry enough to be diligent to really study God’s Word, then what is the problem? What is lacking? I believe that a huge missing link is the fact that many believers are simply apathetic toward God’s Word and the things of God in general. They are just more concerned with the things of this world. Another missing link is “revelation.” People need revelation knowledge -- revelation understanding -- of the fact that God’s precious, wonderful Word is life to our bones --- that it holds the keys to finding and living that abundant life that Jesus told us is there for us when He said, “I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10b
Most Christians are not living out abundant life. For example, this is evident in statistics that tell us that the present day rate of divorce is greater in the church than it is outside of the church. This just should not be! The abundant life that Christ wants to give us is a life lived to its maximum. I want to “max out” my life here on earth. Do you? I want to fulfill my greatest potential and to have my greatest success in all aspects of my life that is possible for me to have. Do you?
I know that I have often lived in mediocrity and have fallen short of my best, which is God’s best for me. Because of that, I am sure that I have missed out on blessings and accomplishments that God had planned for me. The following is a poem I wrote several years ago on this thought:
Beyond Myself
Beyond myself -- God's Word is true.
He teaches me my whole life through.
Though life brings trials, toils and snares,
Beyond myself, I cast my cares.
I say, "but human's all I am"
He says, "you're more than just a man."
I have excuses for my short comings.
He says, "with Me, you quit your slumming."
Mediocrity has been my ride.
"Just get by," has been my pride.
But Jesus said to come up higher.
My plan for you -- your heart's desire.
"But, Jesus, how can I do so?
I'm only human, that you know.
My weaknesses, my faults, my doubts!
Go figure, Lord, what I'm about!"
"Am I a man that I should lie?
My Word is Truth, so don't be shy.
I shed my blood that you could be
Beyond yourself and be set free!"
By CC, June 22, 2000
I repent of not living my life to it’s fullest -- which, by the way, is to live God’s plan for me and not my own puny plan or even someone else’s plan for me. Speaking of which, that “someone else” includes Satan. He has a plan for me and for you as well, and it’s not good and it’s not abundant. His plan is for my destruction and for me to adversely affect all I can on my way down. And you can be certain that he has that same plan for you!
[I will be away from my computer for a few days. More to come after Easter. He Is Risen! Rejoice!]
Part 1. “My Plan for You -- Your Heart’s Desire”
“Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105.
“Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against God.”
Psalm 119:11.
“The Word of God is quick (living) and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12.
Knowledge of the above scriptures, that many of us have known seemingly all of our lives, should be enough to compel us to faithfully and diligently read, study, know and live the Word of God. After all, this Word of God, your/my Bible, is the representation of Jesus that we can literally hold in our hands, press to our hearts and see with our earthly eyes.
But knowledge of these scripture passages, that we have just recalled, is obviously not enough. If it were, more believers would be spiritually mature and walking in great faith. If most Christians are familiar with these words and have even memorized them, but are still not hungry enough to be diligent to really study God’s Word, then what is the problem? What is lacking? I believe that a huge missing link is the fact that many believers are simply apathetic toward God’s Word and the things of God in general. They are just more concerned with the things of this world. Another missing link is “revelation.” People need revelation knowledge -- revelation understanding -- of the fact that God’s precious, wonderful Word is life to our bones --- that it holds the keys to finding and living that abundant life that Jesus told us is there for us when He said, “I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10b
Most Christians are not living out abundant life. For example, this is evident in statistics that tell us that the present day rate of divorce is greater in the church than it is outside of the church. This just should not be! The abundant life that Christ wants to give us is a life lived to its maximum. I want to “max out” my life here on earth. Do you? I want to fulfill my greatest potential and to have my greatest success in all aspects of my life that is possible for me to have. Do you?
I know that I have often lived in mediocrity and have fallen short of my best, which is God’s best for me. Because of that, I am sure that I have missed out on blessings and accomplishments that God had planned for me. The following is a poem I wrote several years ago on this thought:
Beyond Myself
Beyond myself -- God's Word is true.
He teaches me my whole life through.
Though life brings trials, toils and snares,
Beyond myself, I cast my cares.
I say, "but human's all I am"
He says, "you're more than just a man."
I have excuses for my short comings.
He says, "with Me, you quit your slumming."
Mediocrity has been my ride.
"Just get by," has been my pride.
But Jesus said to come up higher.
My plan for you -- your heart's desire.
"But, Jesus, how can I do so?
I'm only human, that you know.
My weaknesses, my faults, my doubts!
Go figure, Lord, what I'm about!"
"Am I a man that I should lie?
My Word is Truth, so don't be shy.
I shed my blood that you could be
Beyond yourself and be set free!"
By CC, June 22, 2000
I repent of not living my life to it’s fullest -- which, by the way, is to live God’s plan for me and not my own puny plan or even someone else’s plan for me. Speaking of which, that “someone else” includes Satan. He has a plan for me and for you as well, and it’s not good and it’s not abundant. His plan is for my destruction and for me to adversely affect all I can on my way down. And you can be certain that he has that same plan for you!
[I will be away from my computer for a few days. More to come after Easter. He Is Risen! Rejoice!]
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