Abundant Life by David Jeremiah

Abundant Life 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. John 10:10 A well-worn criticism of Christians is that, “Christians live in constant fear that someone, somewhere is having fun!” The implication is that the following is true: Only non-Christians are able to live a happy life, unencumbered by the rules and regulations of religion. Nothing could be further from the truth, of course, as evidenced by the words of Jesus Himself.

Recommended Reading: Matthew 7:11

When Jesus described Himself as the Good Shepherd in John 10, He was making a clear reference to the Old Testament image of God as Israel’s shepherd (Psalm 23; Ezekiel 34). It is God who called His people into existence as a nation and promised to meet all their needs. The notion that God desires to subject His people to joyless lives of deprivation is contrary to Paul’s words as well: God gives grace that we might have all we need (2 Corinthians 9:8). Are you enjoying the joyful, abundant life in Christ that God has provided? The same God who has given us Jesus Christ will give us all other things as well (Romans 8:32). Too many Christians envy the sinners their pleasure and the saints their joy because they don’t have either one.  Martin Luther