IN PURSUIT OF A FULL LIFE, JESUS MEETS YOU RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE !
Would it be a true statement to say that life is a journey full of choices, challenges, and also incredible opportunities and blessings? Life is also full of ups and downs, twists and turns. Life is truly an individual story. OUR STORY ! Like any story, there are chapters after chapters of evolving plots, significant relational interaction, and a search for identity, path, and purpose ! "“WHO AM I ?” “WHERE AM I GOING ?” “WHAT WILL MY LIFE LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE ?” While life can hold many unknowns, as a follower of Jesus Christ, it has one very significant difference…JESUS IS WITH ME RIGHT WHERE I AM ! The truly awesome thing about that is that you are Never Alone. He is always with you ! The God who created us is a strategic thinker and has a pattern for life that will not only produce blessings, but it will also produce “fruit” ! That fruit will show up in many ways, but it is always accompanied by hope, peace, and self fulfillment of God’s Destiny for each of us. The requirements are simple, but not always easy. God requires us to surrender our self rule and self will to His Will, and His Rulership. It begins with a choice to realize that HE gave His Life For You. On the cross, Jesus took on all your sin and the punishment and wrath that YOU, AND I, deserved ! Jesus died for us, then, was resurrected into heaven, to sit and rule at the right hand of the Father. DO YOU BELIEVE IT ? WILL YOU GIVE YOUR LIFE TO HIM ?
AND YOU WERE DEAD IN YOUR TRESPASSES AND SINS IN WHICH YOU PREVIOUSLY WALKED ACCORDING TO THE WAYS OF THE WORLD, ACCORDING TO THE RULER OF THE POWER OF THE AIR, THE SPIRIT NOW WORKING IN THE DISOBEDIENT. WE TOO ALL PREVIOUSLY LIVED AMONG THEM IN OUR FLESHLY DESIRES, CARRYING OUT THE INCLINATIONS OF OUR FLESH AND THOUGHTS, AND WE WERE BY NATURE CHILDREN UNDER WRATH AS THE OTHERS WERE ALSO. BUT GOD, WHO IS RICH IN MERCY, BECAUSE OF HIS GREAT LOVE THAT HE HAD FOR US, MADE US ALIVE WITH CHRIST EVEN THOUGH WE WERE DEAD IN TRESPASSES. YOU ARE SAVED BY GRACE ! Ephesians 1: 1-5
I HAVE BEEN CRUCIFIED WWITH CHRIST. IT IS NO LONGER I WHO LIVE, BUT CHRIST WHO LIVES IN ME. AND THE LIFE I NOW LIVE IN THE FLESH I LIVE BY FAITH IN THE SON OF GOD, WHO LOVED ME AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME. Galatians 2:20
THE LORD IS NEAR TO ALL WHO CALL ON HIM, TO ALL WHO CALL ON HIM IN TRUTH. Psalm 145:18
AND IF I GO AND PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU, I WILL COME AGAIN AND WILL TAKE YOU TO MYSELF, THAT WHERE I AM YOU MAY BE ALSO. John 14:3
The most important question you can contemplate right now is very simple. WHERE ARE YOU ? Are you in a joyful and fulfilled life; or are you lost and feeling alone and struggling ? Surprisingly, you can be in “both” of those places and not have God in your life. Happiness in the flesh and fulfillment without God’s presence in your soul and spirit will be a very temporary place indeed ! Life is but a vapor on earth…it is what lies after that becomes an eternal experience. Likewise, struggling can also be a temporary experience, and when you ask Jesus for help, everything Will Change ! Unbelievers will scoff….they always have, and always will. For those who have experienced Jesus hearing your call and meeting you Where You Are, the result will truly CHANGE YOUR LIFE ! Jesus is looking to offer you a Life that is FULL ….FULL OF HIM AND HIS PRESENCE. What makes this so special is that WE GROW AND MATURE IN HIM. WE GAIN WISDOM AND DISCERNMENT. WE GAIN SALVATION AND A PATH AND PURPOSE TO PURSUE. IN OUR LIFE. WE GAIN OUR IDENTITY IN HIM:) We become a part of His Kingdom and are transformed into a New Creation. WE become the temple where God Dwells, because HE ABIDES IN US ! I have lived a truly blessed life, but I have had plenty of periods where I have struggled with sin, wanted my own ways, ignored God’s commands and embraced disobedience…but HE NEVER LEFT ME. His Love for me always allowed me to RECLAIM HIS LOVE AND PROMISES FOR ME. HE HAS A MASTER PLAN FOR MY LIFE FOR ETERNITY:)
AND THIS IS THE TESTIMONY, THAT GOD GAVE US ETERNAL LIFE, AND THIS LIFE IS IN HIS SON. WHOEVER HAS THE SON HAS LIFE; WHOEVER DOES NOT HAVE THE SON OF GOD DOES NOT HAVE LIFE. 1 John 5:11-12
AND WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE O PLEASE HIM, FOR WHOEVER WOULD DRAW NEAR TO GOD MUST BELIEVE THAT HE EXISTS AND THAT HE REWARDS THOSE WHO SEEK HIM. Hebrews 11:6
TRULY , TRULY, I SAY TO YOU, WHOEVER HEARS MY WORD AND BELIEVES HIM WHO SENT ME HAS FREE ETERNAL LIFE HE DOES NOT COME INTO JUDGEMENT, BUT HAS PASSED FROM DEATH TO LIFE. John 5:24
Is your life FULL ? What is it Full Of ? The world will give you a nice tidy set of things to pursue and seek. We see these shiny things all around us. Money, riches, power, adulation, self driven accomplishments, recognition. Self, Self, Self. Sweet for a season, but never truly lasting of fulfilling. WHEN YOU DIE, NONE OF THESE THINGS GO WITH YOU ! Non believers say they don’t care…then WHY are they always contemplating a way to cheat death and live longer ? Why is death an unknown and fearful place. A Place Of NOTHING. In Jesus Christ, our focus is on HIM, and HE IS ETERNAL. In scripture, HE PROMISES that we will be WITH HIM ! That is called ETERNITY. FOREVER ! A FULL LIFE IS A LIFE THAT ABIDES IN CHRIST AND HE IN YOU. A LIFE BURSTING AT THE SEAMS WITH HOPE, PEACE, AND JOY ! ‘Impossible” says the world. “Fantasy” say those who have no belief. Lies shout the wicked. Funny thing about those voices though… they have NO SOLUTION FOR YOUR SITUATION AND CERTAINLY NO PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE OR ETERNITY…. but God Does. IF you feel lost; iF you are alone in your pain; IF you need HOPE…COME AND SEE WHAT JESUS CHRIST HAS FOR YOU THAT THE WORLD DOESN’T OFFER. RECLAIM YOUR IDENTITY AND FILL UP YOUR LIFE !
AND JESUS SAID:
FATHER, I DESIRE THAT THEY ALSO, WHOM YOU HAVE GIVEN ME, MAY BE WITH ME WHERE I AM, TO SEE MY GLORY THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN ME BECAUSE YOU LOVED ME BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD. John 17:24
SEEK HIM, HE IS WAITING TO FILL YOU/JAA/HIS YOKE IS LIGHT
Check out RECLAIM MINISTRY in the Ministries I Support section. It has a focus on men, and it is powerful :) AMEN