When You Seek Christ, Abundant Life Will Follow

Today we return one more time — the eighth, I think — to highlight Brothers of the Book, written by Bill Hood. Click the title which follows to read this where it first appeared.

Deuteronomy 4

Jesus’ promise of life more abundant can be had only when we put on His character.

My mind constantly returns to a specific phrase of scripture spoken by Christ:

John 10:10 ESV
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

Christ also said:

Matthew 5:17-20 ESV
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.  

For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  

For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

He follows these words by telling us that the law says murder is wrong but He says if you harbor anger in your heart you are also guilty of murder.  He states further that while the law says adultery is wrong, the man who lusts after another woman is also guilty of adultery.

Now we all know that we needed the bloody sacrifice of Jesus Christ because we were unable to perfectly obey the law and yet Jesus is telling us that He is holding us to an even higher standard.  How can that be?

In today’s reading, Moses tells the people:

Deuteronomy 4:1 ESV
“And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you.”

Deuteronomy 4:9 ESV
“Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children”

God loves you and has promised you a land, a place of abundant life.  Obeying Him and His commandments is the key to possessing this promised land.  You can’t obey Him in your own power, however, which is why He sent Jesus Christ to die for you.  Having accepted the cleansing of sin through the shed blood of Jesus Christ we can obey the commandments of God because He has sent us His Holy Spirit to live within us, guiding us, and teaching us, and molding us into the character and mind of Christ.  It is only by putting on the character of Christ that we can obey God.  The mind of Christ was placed completely under the authority of God.  He didn’t come for himself but for others.

You want to know how to put on the mind of Christ? Stop thinking about yourself, deny yourself and do what He did; sacrifice your desires for the will of God.  It is in His character that you can obey.  It is in His character that you can have an abundant life.  His commands are not onerous; they are life enhancing!

God wants you to have a joyful, abundant life that can only be had by putting on the mind and character of Christ.  Doing so leads to, among other things, the fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  How great would your life be if you had just that list of blessings alone?

Beyond all of that, God clearly intends for us to teach all of this to our children that it might go well for us.  If you want to do something meaningful, and eternal, teach your family the Word of God.  This following passage pretty much makes the point I’m attempting to make

Deuteronomy 4:35-40 ESV
“To you it was shown, that you might know that the Lord is God; there is no other besides him.  Out of heaven he let you hear his voice, that he might discipline you. And on earth he let you see his great fire, and you heard his words out of the midst of the fire.  

And because he loved your fathers and chose their offspring after them and brought you out of Egypt with his own presence, by his great power, driving out before you nations greater and mightier than yourselves, to bring you in, to give you their land for an inheritance, as it is this day, know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.  

Therefore you shall keep his statutes and his commandments, which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land that the Lord your God is giving you for all time.”

God let you hear His voice out of the midst of the fire.  He brought you out of slavery to sin.  He has driven out evil before you and is bringing you to a land flowing with milk and honey.  Lay it on your heart that the Lord is God of heaven above and the earth beneath; there is no other.  As Pastor Jim Cross has said from the pulpit; “Make Jesus King of your life.”

We can nod our head in agreement that we should obey God.  We can praise God in thankfulness that He has forgiven us of our sins; but we need to surrender ourselves to our King and put on His character that we may enjoy the fullness of His blessings.  Make up your mind right now.  Are you king or is Jesus King?  You can’t have it both ways.

Let’s do that guys!  Let’s make God King of our lives!  Put on the mind of Christ and Obey!

Victorem Viver! (Live Victorious!)

Your brother and servant in Christ,
Bill

Dying to self, living to serve!