FULLNESS OF LIFE

I have a question for you. Did you enjoy last week's message on life? I have gone back and read and replayed the message. You know what? I am so thankful Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. You know what else I am thankful for? The access that we have to him. Before we ever thought about moving toward God, He moved toward us. That is the God we serve, ladies and gentlemen. A God, in fact the only real God, who loves us so much he gave his son Jesus to lead us out of spiritual death to eternal life with him.

Welcome everyone to this week long 24/7, online church service. As always, everyone is welcome in this place.

You know, as I consider what God offers us, I believe one of the most important things is fullness of life. Think about it, my friends. I know people desire new homes, new cars, lots of money, fame and fortune. And yet, many times when these things are obtained, satisfaction and happiness are not. Just think of the movie actors, rock and roll stars, wealthy business people, even persons that have won the lottery. How many times do we read, or see on CNN or the local news cast that these beautiful people have committed suicide or have drunk themselves to poverty? We're talking about real life here, my friends. Divorce, sickness, disease and death strike everyone regardless of our bank accounts, don't they? Or, as the story goes, there must be more than this to life and living.

Let's start today's look at life from a different angle. Let's look at life from God's point of view. God wants us to choose life over death. God is the God of the living, not of the dead. In fact, God says in his word (remember his word, the Bible?) that he has set before us life and death. You see our life is not an accident. God created us and he wants us to be alive in him. He wants us to choose between eternal life and death. He even loves us so much, he tells us what to choose. Let's start there, ok? Turn to Deuteronomy 30:19. Let's read it together:

“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: Therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.”

My friends, I have often said the Bible extremes are not heaven and hell, but eternal life or eternal death. God tells us here to choose eternal life, which we can only obtain through Jesus Christ. With that eternal life, we receive through Jesus blessing and the ability to break and cast off all curses. Now, how is that for a promise?

You might wonder, is it that easy, Brother Bob? I have to tell you, it would seem not. However, God made salvation simple so all could obtain it.

What happens when we choose life over death, what do we do next? Surely you don't believe God would leave us with our Godly choice of life in hand, just to wander in the desert do you? Of course he wouldn't. That is where the instruction Book of Life (The Bible) comes in.

Once our hand is in Jesus' hand, he will lead us on the correct path of life towards the blessings God has laid up in store for us. Turn with me to Psalms 16:11. This is what God will do for us through his Word.

“Thou will show me the path of life: In thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

We showed you this Psalm last week, but at that time we talked about pleasures forever more. This week we will focus more on the path of life that God will show us. Doesn't a clear path through this life of horrors we see all around us sound good to you? It sure does for me. So what is this scripture really saying to us? Simply put, it is saying once you have chosen eternal life and blessing by receiving Jesus Christ and by believing in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and once you sincerely confess Jesus as Lord of your life, God will lead you through his word into the path of life where in his presence there is fullness of joy.

As we walk on that path of life we will be covered with God's protection, his love, mercy and grace. So nothing bad will ever happen to us again, right? Wrong! As long as we are on this earth, Satan and his demonic spirits will set obstacles in our pathway to cause us to stumble, and then turn away from God. If possible, Satan would entice us to leave God and to give in to temptations and sin that would separate us from God. Our heavenly Father knows this and points out in the Word of God what the end result of sin is. Romans 6:23 tells us clearly the difference in what Satan offers us through sin and what God offers us through his son, Jesus Christ. Let's read Romans 6:23 together:

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Once again God points out to us to trust in Jesus and the gift of eternal life is ours. Notice eternal life is a gift through Jesus Christ our Lord. I believe it is sinking into us now, isn't it?

I just want to say this to you, we all want fullness of life, don't we? We want the best for our families. We want to be the best friend, to be a great employer or employee, don't we? Do we not want to be a wonderful father or mother? A son or daughter that makes our parents proud of us? Through Jesus and his teachings we can obtain these things. That is what the path of His Word leads to: Fullness of life on this earth and eternal life with God and his son Jesus and all our loved ones who have passed on while trusting in Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

That sounds like fullness of life to me. How about you?

God Bless You,
Bro. Bob

An important announcement: Starting next week, we will be adding a new feature to our online church. Each week, we will be publishing a new scripture reading. This will be designed to help you meditate on God's word all week long. We know this will be a blessing to you.