Skip to main content

Translate

Abundant life




You know, I said that sometimes I would write here in English. Why? I don’t know, maybe because I am living in the U.S; so, here I am; please, excuse my English, since I am neither a native nor a expertise.
Anyway…

I just wrote the post before this one, and instantly I wanted to write this one about the abundant life, or “to have it to the full” – life. Who said that? Jesus said that.

What is it that caught my attention this verse today? The whole verse is: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” John 10:10. 

Who is the thief that Jesus is talking about?  The thief is the devil, our archenemy or the enemy of our souls; that one who doesn’t want anything to do with our happiness or success or freedom. He is the one who comes to destroy our lives; he might look like a sheep at once, in the very beginning; but he is no sheep, he is a wolf in a sheep’s skin.

I don’t like when they picture the devil as an ugly creature. Because he is not. He used to be very beautiful, full of light, his name used to mean light. But, he got envious and greedy, and covetous; so he had no place in the realms of heavens anymore. So, God kicked him out. The devil can come with a very good disguise to mislead you; like richness, success, beauty, and so many other things that are always shallow and meaningless. He doesn’t want you thinking too much what are the consequences. He wants you to grab it fast and think later when the disaster is already done. He wants you dumb, dull, numb, blind for life. Live like a robot; live like that because he said it so.
But Jesus, He wants your happiness, your real success. He wants to give you life. How? Why? He came to the world to teach you how to give meaning to your life; he came to show you what is important in this life. He came to this world so He could feel your pain. He needed to be human, and live like a human so he could mirror in Him our lives too. He resurrected so you could resurrect too when the day comes. He is the one who can strengthen your to fight against the devil on a daily basis. In 1 Peter 5:8 “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour”.
Let’s seek the presence of God, and befriend Jesus, so we can have an abundant life and be safe against the devil’s trap.
Let’s pray: Dear heavenly Father, thank you for your provisions and your sacrifice on that cross. Thank you for giving up your life so I could have mine. I want You to live in me and be alert and sober mind to overcome the devil. Thank you, Lord, in Jesus’ name, Amen.




Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Choose to be full of...// Escolha ser cheio de...

Can you choose to be   Joyful? (Full of joy) Peaceful? (full of peace) Patient? (full of patience) Kind? (full of kindness) Good? (full of goodness) Faithful? (full of faith) Gentle? (full of gentleness) Generous? (full of generosity) Self-controlled? (totally self-controlled) Can you choose to be like that all the time? To everyone?   What other religion would promise you that? I am not saying that all Christians are like that all the time. No, we are not, unfortunately. However, we are prone to be more successful than others, do you know why?  When Jesus was lifted to the heavens after his resurrection, he promised that a few days later, His Spirit would come to live in us. The Holy Spirit is our helper. When we live a godly life, a prayer life, and are filled with the Holy Spirit, those are the characteristics that should be seen in us—if not all of them, at least most of them.  Would you like to live like that? To treat people like that? Well, I suppose so. ...

My take on these stories // Minha opinião nessas histórias

The 2 Samuel 9 and 10 are about David’s kindness toward others. One person received his kindness humbly, knowing that wasn’t expected from that king in particular. Saul was the first king of Israel and did not obey the word of the LORD. Therefore, the kingdom was taken away from him and his lineage. God announced to Saul that he was going to give the kingdom to someone else. Being David. Because David was not a descendant of Saul, once he started reigning, it was expected that the new king, non-descendant of the former, would kill all the former king’s descendants so no one would stand in the line of succession. Bu David did not do that. Instead, he chose to show kindness toward the last person from Saul’s house.  Saul’s grandson accepted David’s kindness. And we have a beautiful story about grace.  Chapter 10, however, tells a different story. A story of a man who didn’t accept David’s kindness because that was what he was. A person who suspected everyone around him. He ...

Arise and eat // Levante e coma

  He came to a broom bush, sat under it, and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough,  Lord ,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.”   5 Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once, an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.”   6 He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. 7 The angel of the  Lord  came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.”   8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. (1 Kings 19: 4-8) How many times have you wished that this life were over? I have wished that many times. Sometimes it is just too painful, or sad, or hopeless, isn’t it? You know, Elijah...