Bible Study: A Full Life

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Today is Saturday October 23, 2010 and we are reading through and studying the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Luke, chapters 6-7. In these chapters we will read about, the Lord of the Sabbath, the sermon on the mount, more miracles from Jesus, John the Baptist, and a woman anointing Jesus; feet. If you would like to read today's chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: imfollowingjesus.com/bible-october-23

Today's Message: A Full Life
The word full is defined as being completely filled, containing all that can be held, and is abundant in supply, quantity, or number. We all long for a full life, one that is completely filled and abundant in supply, however, as Christians, it is what we do to become full that can either help or hurt us. You know, when we made the choice to allow Christ to be in our lives, we made a commitment with Him to let Him be Lord of our lives. That does not mean that God does not want us to enjoy a full life, it means that He wants us to enjoy a full life with Him in it. “And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.” - Hebrews 10:21,22.

When we draw near to our high priest, Jesus Christ, we cleanse ourselves from the things that are not so good for us and for the things that God wants us to have. In return we long for a full life with God in it. Think about it, did you ever overeat on something that really wasn't good for you? You feel sick and uncomfortable and sometimes even vomit. The same thing happens when we cram in all this stuff (work, hobbies, people, self improvements, etc.) that we think is going to make us full, but is not really good for us. So, how do we enjoy a full life without making ourselves sick? The Bible says, “There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god. I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.” - Psalm 81:9,10.

The first commandment of God is, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” - Exodus 20:3. Every time a job, hobby, person, or lifestyle takes place over God God sees it as a another or strange god, therefore, if we want an abundant, full life, we need to put God above all these things. After Jesus chose His disciples He took them upon a mountain and preached to them. “And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.”- Luke 6:20-23.

Can you just imagine having Jesus preach a sermon to you? What a full life that would be? Of course, it will be when we are in heaven, Praise God!. Jesus said, because we believe in and follow Him we are going to face some rejection and affliction, but we are to rejoice in all of it because our greatest reward will be when we get to heaven. The more you do for Jesus the more affliction you are going to face, but count it as a blessing because He is working a great work in you. “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” -II Corinthians 4:16-18.

Jesus continues preaching and explains why we are to love those who afflict us, “For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.” - Luke 6:32-36.

Some people are just born plain wicked and will never change, but the majority of people that do wicked things do them because they are bitter about something or just do not know any better. When Jesus was hanging on the cross and the people were mocking and cursing Him, He said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” - Luke 23:34. Forgiveness is the key to moving forward and enjoying a full life with God in it. If we are just kind to those who are good to us we will never see the power of God, but if we are kind to those who cause us pain we will see the great power of God working in our lives and enjoy a full life. Besides we do not have to cause affliction upon them because Gods will do it for us. “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” - Romans 12:9-21.

We all have done things in our lives that we are ashamed of and are not worthy to receive anything, but the amazing thing is that God knows our faith. If we humble ourselves before Him we learn that we no longer need the things we thought would bless us with a full life, but for the things that will truly bless us with a full life. An army commander humbled himself before Jesus to ask Him to help one of his servants who was dying. “Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof: Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick.” - Luke 10:6-10.

This leader felt so worthless and ashamed of his life that he did not even want Jesus to step foot in his door, but Jesus saw this mans faith and the man was healed. When we humble ourselves before Jesus, He heals us from all all of our sin and in fact cleanses us. If we want to enjoy a full life, we need to eliminate some things that keep us from truly knowing what it means to allow Christ to be Lord of our lives. “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. ” -Philippians 4:11-13.

Give a little and you will get a lot, when we allow Christ to be Lord He becomes our strength and allows us to reach for the true things that give us an abundant, full life not only in heaven, but here on earth as well. Praise God!

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and weekend.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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