Tuesday, August 08, 2006

What is an abundant life?

Today as I was listening to my radio, I happened upon a broadcast by Dr. Dobson. He had on a guest from Compassion International. I came into the conversation when the question was posed, "What is the opposite of poor?" The first thing that comes to my mind is rich. He went on to say that the opposite of poor is adequate or having enough to live.

John 10:10b
I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.(NKJV)


I think it would be interesting to take a survey and find out how many christians feel that they are leading a life of abundance. I would venture to say that not many feel this way. Living this fleshly life always seems to have its focus on what we wnat or what we do no have.

According to the speaker we need to get ourselves to a place of just enough so that we can then reach out and bring another human being to a place of adequacy from poverty. Only then can we truly know what a life of abuandance really is.

Deuteronomy 15:4-11
4 But there should be no poor people among you, because the Lord your God will richly bless you in the land he is giving you as your own. 5 He will bless you if you obey the Lord your God completely, but you must be careful to obey all the commands I am giving you today. 6 The Lord your God will bless you as he promised, and you will lend to other nations, but you will not need to borrow from them. You will rule over many nations, but none will rule over you. 7 If there are poor among you, in one of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be selfish or greedy toward them. 8 But give freely to them, and freely lend them whatever they need. 9 Beware of evil thoughts. Don't think, "The seventh year is near, the year to cancel what people owe." You might be mean to the needy and not give them anything. Then they will complain to the Lord about you, and he will find you guilty of sin. 10 Give freely to the poor person, and do not wish that you didn't have to give. The Lord your God will bless your work and everything you touch. 11 There will always be poor people in the land, so I command you to give freely to your neighbors and to the poor and needy in your land. (NCV)

Psalm 41:1
Happy is the person who thinks about the poor. When trouble comes, the Lord will save him. (NCV)

Pr 14:31
Whoever mistreats the poor insults their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God. (NCV)

Pr 22:9
Generous people will be blessed, because they share their food with the poor. (NCV)

Isa 58:7
Share your food with the hungry and bring poor, homeless people into your own homes. When you see someone who has no clothes, give him yours, and don't refuse to help your own relatives. (NCV)

Interview from Focus on the Family

1 comment:

JT said...

new post please miss nan! =)
xoxo