THE ABUNDANT LIFE IS A LIFE YIELDED TO CHRIST:
Romans 6:10-13 ESV For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. (11) So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. (12) Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. (13) Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. How to live the abundant life is no secret; it is revealed in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in Rom. 6:10-13. The same faith that "saves" us also identifies us with Christ in His death. This is eternal life. The faith that "yields" to death to self also identifies us with Christ in His resurrection. This is abundant life. Colossians 3:1-4 ESV If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. (2) Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. (3) For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (4) When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. ***It is one thing to have eternal life by faith. It is quite another to have abundant life by faith. ***It is one thing for us to be “made the righteousness of God in Him. It is another thing for us to realize His righteous life is in us. 1 John 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. ***It is one thing for us to live in Christ. It is another thing for Christ to live His life in and through us. Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. We, as believers have a choice. We can yield unto God by faith and enjoy abundant life, or we can yield unto sin and endure a defeated life. God would have us to “know and experience the power of a yielded life.” By the way, I have met many "committed" Christians. However, they were committed to church, to a building, to a denomination, or to a certain doctrinal creed. Not only must we not yield to sin, but we must not yield to the traditions and religions of man if we really want to walk in the abundant life of Christ. The power of a yielded life will lift us above circumstances that tries to cut off abundant living. The abundant life begins when we yield to Him as Master, allowing Him to live His life through us by faith.
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3. Our God is All Present (Omnipresent):
Omnipresence is the attribute of God by which He fills the universe and all its parts with His presence everywhere at once. Not a part, but the whole of God is present in every place. This is true of all three members of the Trinity. They are so closely related that where one is the others can be said to be, also. The limitation of our human flesh is that we are limited by time, space and matter, meaning that we can only be at one place at one time. This is also true for the created beings called angels or the fallen angels. God's angels and His enemies, Satan and the demons, can only be at one place at one time. However, God is not limited by time, space and matter. His presence fills His creation. When a man or woman is praying or praising, God is there. When a man or woman is sinning, God is there. If a child is doing something a parent has told him not to do, God is there. There is no place man can go to hide from God. Psalms 139:7-10 ESV Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? (8) If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! (9) If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, (10) even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. Jeremiah 23:23-24 ESV “Am I a God at hand, declares the LORD, and not a God far away? (24) Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the LORD. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the LORD. (More Scriptures to read Psalms 113:4-6; 123:1; Ephesians 2:22; 1 Kings 8:27; Matthew 18:19-20), 1. Our God is All Powerful (Omnipotent):
Omnipotent is the attribute of God which describes His ability to do whatever He wills. God's will is only limited by His nature, therefore He cannot do anything contrary to His nature as God, such as to sin, to ignore sin, or to do something absurd or self-contradictory. God is not controlled by His power, but has complete control over it. This means that if God says something will happen. He has the power to make sure that it will happen by only speaking it forth. When God promises eternal life to those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, He has the power to grant it. Just as God cannot sin, He has the equal ability and power to forgive those who do. Job 42:1-2 ESV Then Job answered the LORD and said: (2) “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. Jeremiah 32:17-18 ESV ‘Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you. (18) You show steadfast love to thousands, but you repay the guilt of fathers to their children after them, O great and mighty God, whose name is the LORD of hosts, Jeremiah 32:26-27 ESV The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: (27) “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me? (For your extra reading on the greatest of God: Matthew 19:26; Genesis 17:1-8; Luke 1:37; Revelation 19:6) 2. Our God is All Knowing (Omniscient):
Omniscient is the attribute of God by which God perfectly and eternally knows all things which can be known, past, present, and future. God knows how best to attain His desired end. This demonstrates that man cannot hide from God because God knows all things. He knows the number of hairs on each head. He knows the heart and thoughts of every man. Just because there may be nobody around to see us do wrong doesn't mean nobody saw it happen, because God did. Our intentions in the things we do are known to God. We need to be sure that our attitudes and motives are aligned properly with our actions because God knows when we are doing things for the wrong reasons or motives. Psalms 147:4-5 ESV He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. (5) Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure. (Also read Acts 15:18; Romans 4:17; Isaiah 46:9-10) |
AuthorCharles Morris. Founder and Senior Pastor of RSI Ministry, RSI School of Ministry, and RSI Publishing L.L.C.. Archives
March 2021
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