Life More Abundantly
In the New Testament, Christ says, “I am come that you might have life, and have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) What does Christ mean by this? How can Christians live the abundant life?
According to Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries, the word abundantly in John 10:10 derives from the original Greek word perissos, which means “excessively, superabundant in quantity, or superior in quality; by implication excessive; preeminence; exceedingly abundantly above, more abundantly, exceedingly, very highly, beyond measure, more, superfluous, vehemently.” The Greek word for life in this passage translates to mean vitality.
When one applies these definitions of abundant living, it may concluded that Christ offers believers the opportunity to live a life that is superior in quality, advantageous, beyond measure, and in general more fulfilling than life apart from the Lord. Based upon this information, the standard of abundant living is beyond that of ordinary day to day life.
Some have tried to teach us that "The Abundant Life" means physical wealth, houses, expensive cars etc. I think "The Abundant Life" is abundance in our heart. I compare it to the feeling of complete Joy. Like you do when you feel like you are going to explode with Joy, like being so blessed you can't control yourself. Maybe like you want to shout and dance all at the same time.
This morning I was sitting in the swing on our patio in back. I am so thrilled at the blooming bushes and trees. I feel really blessed, and I want to thank God for the beauty He provides for me.
Sure we have our problems and trials. But to me that is the body. "The Abundant Life", I think is on the inside, our real self that lives in the body we have.
Have you ever tried to separate the spirit from the body? I have tried, but I can't quite get there yet, maybe never. Again I believe the "things" we strive for are for the body, and the things abundant living gives is spiritual.
Read more at Suite101: Life More Abundantly: Finding Satisfaction in Christ http://protestantism.suite101.com/article.cfm/life_more_abundantly#ixzz0mcsDZCGx
Thanks again my friends, Please comment if you want to.
Mr. Bill
Friday, April 30, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
THE COMFORTER
"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."—John 14:2
A Sermon (a part)
Delivered on Sabbath Evening, January 21, 1855, by the
REV. C. H. Spurgeon
At New Park Street Chapel, Southwark
" Then mark, how safe a Comforter the Holy Ghost is. All comfort is not safe, mark that. There is a young man over there very melancholy. You know how he became so. He stepped into the house of God and heard a powerful preacher, and the word was blessed, and convinced him of sin. When he went home, his father and the rest found there was something different about him, "Oh," they said, "John is mad, he is crazy;" and what said his mother? "Send him into the country for a week; let him go to the ball or the theatre." John, did you find any comfort there? "Ah no; they made me worse, for while I was there I thought hell might open and swallow me up." Did you find any relief in the gayeties of the world? "No," say you, "I thought it was idle waste of time." Alas! this is miserable comfort, but it is the comfort of the worldling; and, when a Christian gets into distress, how many will recommend him this remedy and the other. "Go and hear Mr. So-and-so preach;" "have a few friends at you house;" "Read such-and-such a consoling volume;" and very likely it is the most unsafe advice in the world. The devil will sometimes come to men's souls as a false comforter; and he will say to the soul, "What need is there to make all this ado about repentance? you are no worse than other people;" and he will try to make the soul believe, that what is presumption, is the real assurance of the Holy Ghost; thus he deceives many by false comfort. Ah! there have been many, like infants, destroyed by elixirs, given to lull them to sleep; many have been ruined by the cry of "peace, peace," when there is no peace; hearing gentle things, when they ought to be stirred to the quick. Cleopatra's asp was brought in a basket of flowers; and men's ruin often lurks in fair and sweet speeches. But the Holy Ghost's comfort is safe, and you may rest on it. Let him speak the word, and there is a reality about it; let him give the cup of consolation, and you may drink it to the bottom; for in its depths there are no dregs, nothing to intoxicate or ruin, it is all safe."
Very good!
Mr. Bill
"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."—John 14:2
A Sermon (a part)
Delivered on Sabbath Evening, January 21, 1855, by the
REV. C. H. Spurgeon
At New Park Street Chapel, Southwark
" Then mark, how safe a Comforter the Holy Ghost is. All comfort is not safe, mark that. There is a young man over there very melancholy. You know how he became so. He stepped into the house of God and heard a powerful preacher, and the word was blessed, and convinced him of sin. When he went home, his father and the rest found there was something different about him, "Oh," they said, "John is mad, he is crazy;" and what said his mother? "Send him into the country for a week; let him go to the ball or the theatre." John, did you find any comfort there? "Ah no; they made me worse, for while I was there I thought hell might open and swallow me up." Did you find any relief in the gayeties of the world? "No," say you, "I thought it was idle waste of time." Alas! this is miserable comfort, but it is the comfort of the worldling; and, when a Christian gets into distress, how many will recommend him this remedy and the other. "Go and hear Mr. So-and-so preach;" "have a few friends at you house;" "Read such-and-such a consoling volume;" and very likely it is the most unsafe advice in the world. The devil will sometimes come to men's souls as a false comforter; and he will say to the soul, "What need is there to make all this ado about repentance? you are no worse than other people;" and he will try to make the soul believe, that what is presumption, is the real assurance of the Holy Ghost; thus he deceives many by false comfort. Ah! there have been many, like infants, destroyed by elixirs, given to lull them to sleep; many have been ruined by the cry of "peace, peace," when there is no peace; hearing gentle things, when they ought to be stirred to the quick. Cleopatra's asp was brought in a basket of flowers; and men's ruin often lurks in fair and sweet speeches. But the Holy Ghost's comfort is safe, and you may rest on it. Let him speak the word, and there is a reality about it; let him give the cup of consolation, and you may drink it to the bottom; for in its depths there are no dregs, nothing to intoxicate or ruin, it is all safe."
Very good!
Mr. Bill
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
A BIBLE STUDY - THE COMFORTER -
John 7:39 But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
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John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you .
When the believers were gathered together after the Resurrection of Jesus, the Holy Spirit (Comforter, Advocate, the Spirit of God) fell upon the disciples like fire and they were filled with the Holy Spirit of God.
"And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;"
The disciples were so filled with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit gave them languages to tell the ones of other areas who did not know their language, so they could understand what had happened!
Have you ever been so excited about something happening that you felt like shouting, laughing, dancing, jumping? It is a feeling you cannot control. That is what happened that day.
It can happen to us as well. All it takes is for a Christian to want the Holy Spirit to take control of our life so much, that we are willing to give up everything and let the Spirit of God rule our lives.
Remember we still live a normal life, but we have a comforter, teacher, guide within us to help us live an abundant life.
Remember we do not quit sinning completely, but we have an Advocate to confess to, and know God is faithful and just to forgive us. HALLELUJAH
"Oh the Holy Ghost will set my feet a dancin'
The Holy Ghost will fill me thru and thru,
The Holy Ghost will set my feet a dancin'
And set my Heart a dancin' too.
Mr. Bill
Friday, April 23, 2010
"Just a closer walk with Thee"
Just a closer walk with Thee
Grant it Jesus is my plea
Daily walking close to thee
Let it be dear Lord, let it be.
I am weak, but Thou art strong.
Jesus keep me from all wrong.
I'll be satisfied as long, as I walk
let me walk close to Thee.
Hal Leonard Corp/ Kenneth Morris
When we are "Born Again", we have a changed heart. We have an urging to learn more about Jesus, and what He did for us. Can you believe a God so much concerned about His Creation, that in order to save them from the eternal sin, He came to their midst, and allowed Himself to be crucifed for the final sacrifice needed to save His people?
When Jesus assended back to Heaven, He promised another one would come to counsel, teach, and help us in our struggles to bear our cross to follow Him. Thus the Holy Spirit was given to us when we surendered our self to Him.
We need to daily communicate with the Holy Spirit. We need to seek the Holy Spirit's help in our daily living.
By doing this we will daily walk closer to Him.
I know when you seek a daily walk with Jesus, you will be thrilled at some of the things He shows you!
Dear God, my Father, cleanse me from all unrighteous.
Create a clean and refreshed heart in me.
Take control of my heart and life, and show me
Your will and desire for me! In the Holy name of
Jesus. AMEN
If you have not accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, it is pretty easy. You need to want to in your heart and know you were born in the sin of Adam. Ask Jesus to forgive you for this sin and ask Him to come into your heart. Now believe what God said He will do, He WILL do.
Mr Bill
Just a closer walk with Thee
Grant it Jesus is my plea
Daily walking close to thee
Let it be dear Lord, let it be.
I am weak, but Thou art strong.
Jesus keep me from all wrong.
I'll be satisfied as long, as I walk
let me walk close to Thee.
Hal Leonard Corp/ Kenneth Morris
When we are "Born Again", we have a changed heart. We have an urging to learn more about Jesus, and what He did for us. Can you believe a God so much concerned about His Creation, that in order to save them from the eternal sin, He came to their midst, and allowed Himself to be crucifed for the final sacrifice needed to save His people?
When Jesus assended back to Heaven, He promised another one would come to counsel, teach, and help us in our struggles to bear our cross to follow Him. Thus the Holy Spirit was given to us when we surendered our self to Him.
We need to daily communicate with the Holy Spirit. We need to seek the Holy Spirit's help in our daily living.
By doing this we will daily walk closer to Him.
I know when you seek a daily walk with Jesus, you will be thrilled at some of the things He shows you!
Dear God, my Father, cleanse me from all unrighteous.
Create a clean and refreshed heart in me.
Take control of my heart and life, and show me
Your will and desire for me! In the Holy name of
If you have not accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, it is pretty easy. You need to want to in your heart and know you were born in the sin of Adam. Ask Jesus to forgive you for this sin and ask Him to come into your heart. Now believe what God said He will do, He WILL do.
Mr Bill
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
What is Man? A Bible Study
continued:
And then came Jesus!
God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a decendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, "Greetings, favored woman! the Lord is with you!" Mary was confused and disturbed. "Don't be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High". "The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And He will reign over Israel forever, His Kingdom will never end!" Mary asked the angel how this could happen? I am a virgin. The angel replied, "the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God." Luke 1:26-35
Jesus was born a lowly birth in a stable in Bethleham, because it was censes time there, and there was no room at the hotels or motels. The angels announced His birth to the shepherds who were watching their sheep. They were astonished, but the angels said fear not for we bring you good news, and there will be much joy for the world. The shepherds went to see Jesus. A few years later the wise men arrived from the East, with gifts.
Jesus grew up a normal life helping His step father Joseph a carpenter in Nazareth. When Jesus was 12 years old, His family had returned to Bethleham for another censes time again. When Joseph and Mary were heading home, they noticed Jesus was not with them. They looked for Him and found Him in the temple discussing the laws with the leaders.
When Jesus was 30 years old it was time for Him to begin His ministry to the people. He found His cousin John the Baptist, and was baptised. He called together 12 diciples, and began to teach them and heal the sick and raise people from the dead, and preach the words of God.
The Jewish leaders began to fear Jesus' followers where getting too strong and looked for ways to kill Jesus. Their task was finally completed when Jesus was 33 years old and He was crucified on a cross among some theives.
He was burried in a friends tomb. After 3 days some of His friends went to the tomb and found Him missing, all except the grave cloth. They were terrified and when they were going to tell the diciples, Jesus appeared to them and re-asurred them He had risen from the dead. Jesus again began preaching to His diciples and followers. Before Jesus accended to Heaven to be with His Father, He told his followers He would send another comforter, the Holy Spirit to abide with His followers.
After He assended, one day when the diciples were all gathered together with a bunch of people, the Holy Spirit came upon them and they were so filled they began to speak in the languages of all the people, so they could understand.
Later a man named Saul, a Roman citizen, who was trying to kill the followers was struck by the power of God and was blinded for 3 days. He recognized the power of God and was converted to Christianity. The followers of Jesus, who had accepted Jesus as their personal Lord and Savion, were called Christians. God gave Saul a new name, Paul and Paul became the most famous and strongest preachers of the Word, ever.
Later John, one of the diciples of Jesus, was given the revelation of the end times. This can be found in the book of "The Revelation", the last book in the Bible. It is very symbolic, and something I beleive all Christians should read, more than once.
If you have never been "born again", or saved, please accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. It is easy to do, just realize you were born in the sin of Adam and ask Jesus to forgive you of that, read the Word and try to follow what it says, and believe God will do all that He says He will do for you.
And then came Jesus!
God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a decendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, "Greetings, favored woman! the Lord is with you!" Mary was confused and disturbed. "Don't be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High". "The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And He will reign over Israel forever, His Kingdom will never end!" Mary asked the angel how this could happen? I am a virgin. The angel replied, "the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God." Luke 1:26-35
Jesus was born a lowly birth in a stable in Bethleham, because it was censes time there, and there was no room at the hotels or motels. The angels announced His birth to the shepherds who were watching their sheep. They were astonished, but the angels said fear not for we bring you good news, and there will be much joy for the world. The shepherds went to see Jesus. A few years later the wise men arrived from the East, with gifts.
Jesus grew up a normal life helping His step father Joseph a carpenter in Nazareth. When Jesus was 12 years old, His family had returned to Bethleham for another censes time again. When Joseph and Mary were heading home, they noticed Jesus was not with them. They looked for Him and found Him in the temple discussing the laws with the leaders.
When Jesus was 30 years old it was time for Him to begin His ministry to the people. He found His cousin John the Baptist, and was baptised. He called together 12 diciples, and began to teach them and heal the sick and raise people from the dead, and preach the words of God.
The Jewish leaders began to fear Jesus' followers where getting too strong and looked for ways to kill Jesus. Their task was finally completed when Jesus was 33 years old and He was crucified on a cross among some theives.
He was burried in a friends tomb. After 3 days some of His friends went to the tomb and found Him missing, all except the grave cloth. They were terrified and when they were going to tell the diciples, Jesus appeared to them and re-asurred them He had risen from the dead. Jesus again began preaching to His diciples and followers. Before Jesus accended to Heaven to be with His Father, He told his followers He would send another comforter, the Holy Spirit to abide with His followers.
After He assended, one day when the diciples were all gathered together with a bunch of people, the Holy Spirit came upon them and they were so filled they began to speak in the languages of all the people, so they could understand.
Later a man named Saul, a Roman citizen, who was trying to kill the followers was struck by the power of God and was blinded for 3 days. He recognized the power of God and was converted to Christianity. The followers of Jesus, who had accepted Jesus as their personal Lord and Savion, were called Christians. God gave Saul a new name, Paul and Paul became the most famous and strongest preachers of the Word, ever.
Later John, one of the diciples of Jesus, was given the revelation of the end times. This can be found in the book of "The Revelation", the last book in the Bible. It is very symbolic, and something I beleive all Christians should read, more than once.
If you have never been "born again", or saved, please accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. It is easy to do, just realize you were born in the sin of Adam and ask Jesus to forgive you of that, read the Word and try to follow what it says, and believe God will do all that He says He will do for you.
Friday, April 16, 2010
What about Us
Continued from last blog: A Bible Study
The Lord God finally picked Abraham to be the leader of His people, because he was the most righteous of the people. Now the Lord God said to Abraham I am going to make you the father of My nation. Abraham was over 90 years old and His wife Sarah was also very old. Abraham and Sarah could not believe this was possible, but so be it they had a son and he was called Issaic. The Lord God asked Abraham to kill his son Issaic as a sacrifice. Abraham reluctantly was going to do just that and the Lord God stopped him as he was about to kill his son.
God's people continued to disobey the Lord God, and wound up in slavery for many years making bricks for their masters.
Moses who had been saved as a little baby by one of the kings daughters. He grew up in the household of the king with all the rights of the king's family. The Lord God spoke to Moses when he was grown up and asked him to deliver His people from their slavery and take them to the Promised Land to begin their own country. They wondered for 40 years in the deserts in order to get there. They again strayed from the Lord God in the wilderness and made a golden calf and began to worship it. The Lord God was very angry and destroyed the golden calf and called Moses up on the mountain and gave him the Ten Commandments for the people to follow.
Finally after 40 years they reached the Promised Land and they still continued to turn away from the Lord, until they would get a new leader that would bring them back to the Lord. There were many prophets and kings that led and taught the people.
David at the age of 12 was picked by The Lord God to be a King of His people. David was a good friend of King Saul's son Jonathan. When Saul was picking his successor Jonathan prefered David over himself to be the next king. When David was king, He too failed the Lord God and had a child with another married woman. But still through all of his failures, David remained as God's favorite king.
Then finally the Lord God decided to fulfill His plan to come to the people Himself to teach His people and make a final sacrifice! He would come as a baby, and would be known as the Son of God. He would be called Wonderful; Counsellor; The Mighty God; and The Prince of Peace.
To be continued:
God is good, God is great, let us thank Him for all the good we have!
The Lord God finally picked Abraham to be the leader of His people, because he was the most righteous of the people. Now the Lord God said to Abraham I am going to make you the father of My nation. Abraham was over 90 years old and His wife Sarah was also very old. Abraham and Sarah could not believe this was possible, but so be it they had a son and he was called Issaic. The Lord God asked Abraham to kill his son Issaic as a sacrifice. Abraham reluctantly was going to do just that and the Lord God stopped him as he was about to kill his son.
God's people continued to disobey the Lord God, and wound up in slavery for many years making bricks for their masters.
Moses who had been saved as a little baby by one of the kings daughters. He grew up in the household of the king with all the rights of the king's family. The Lord God spoke to Moses when he was grown up and asked him to deliver His people from their slavery and take them to the Promised Land to begin their own country. They wondered for 40 years in the deserts in order to get there. They again strayed from the Lord God in the wilderness and made a golden calf and began to worship it. The Lord God was very angry and destroyed the golden calf and called Moses up on the mountain and gave him the Ten Commandments for the people to follow.
Finally after 40 years they reached the Promised Land and they still continued to turn away from the Lord, until they would get a new leader that would bring them back to the Lord. There were many prophets and kings that led and taught the people.
David at the age of 12 was picked by The Lord God to be a King of His people. David was a good friend of King Saul's son Jonathan. When Saul was picking his successor Jonathan prefered David over himself to be the next king. When David was king, He too failed the Lord God and had a child with another married woman. But still through all of his failures, David remained as God's favorite king.
Then finally the Lord God decided to fulfill His plan to come to the people Himself to teach His people and make a final sacrifice! He would come as a baby, and would be known as the Son of God. He would be called Wonderful; Counsellor; The Mighty God; and The Prince of Peace.
To be continued:
God is good, God is great, let us thank Him for all the good we have!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
What about Us?
I am still searching for my niche. I feel I have experienced some interesting things in my spiritual life in the last few years.
If you don't mind I would like to share some of them with you in the next few weeks. You might call it revelation to me some things I never could grasp.
What is Man that GOD is concerned about Them? (Biblical) A Bible Study
God has always been and will always be! Can we comprehend that? Probably not. God is a Spirit encompassing everything here; there; and everywhere. Scientists say the earth is 300 billion years old, and God was always before that! A light year is how long it takes light to travel 1 year. Just our galaxies is how many light years across, and there are billions of galaxies out there? WOW I don't understand all this!
And God put all this together. As you are seeing we cannot understand the vastness of God !
As the Bible tells us-"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, and all that is within the heavens". Now this could explain the big bang theory! I can imagine a loud bang when this all came together, can't you?
Genesis 1:6 says the third day. "God said "let the waters beneath the sky flow together into one place, so dry ground may appear" and that is what happened!
Scientists say there was a time when there was only one continent on the earth. Ah Ha......Remember when the Lord God shifted the waters and dry earth appeared?
Genesis 1:27 says the sixth day God created "human beings in his own image, male and female he created them". With this I am not saying this is the start of the Lord God's special people.
Now I think there could have been billions of years go by, because as you know "there is no time with God" and there were no calenders and evolution of man and animals, dinosaurs,volcanos, earthquakes, the formation of continents etc., in some agreement with science to form what we call earth now?
Now maybe about 6 or 7 thousand years ago, God was wanting some fellowship as Genesis says and created Adam? In agreement with Christianity?
There was a part of the earth that was called Eden. Genesis 2:7 Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man's nostrils and the man became a living person and the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made. The Lord God seen that the man (Adam) was lonely and took a rib from Adam and formed Eve, (a woman for comfort for the man Adam). The Lord God gave some rules to Adam and Eve, and told them certain things not to do. One was not to eat from the tree of Life. Well we know how people are, even God's "special people". A serpent came along and tempted Eve to eat from the tree and she did eat. Eve then convinced Adam to partake also, and you know we men, we do what the woman says, and they had the knowledge of Life.Well God was not happy with that and kicked them out of the Garden of Eden. They were now suppose to till the ground and provide for themselves.
Adam and Eve had 3 sons. Cain; Abel; and Seth. God had said they had to make sacrifices unto Him, which both Cain and Abel did. But Cain was jealous of Abel's sacrifice and killed Abel. Then Cain was afraid and ran away to the Land of Nod, and married a woman (evolved human beings, from the first creation?) Now Cain may have turned his wife to the Lord God? I believe Seth then is the start of the Lord God"s people before He chose Abraham to begin the Hebrew or Jewish nation.From then on we get Profits and Kings to lead the people down through the years. Well the people will be people and disobey God, which they did. For awhile they would worship God and then they would disobey and start to worship idols etc., then God would have to get new leaders that would bring them back to Himself.
TO BE CONTINUED:
Please Let Me Know in the Comment space if you read it and comment if you wish!
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