We must come to terms with this abundant life in Christ Jesus. For some preach a mighty blessing which may be so but equally is abundant suffering.

“Through death we follow Him there into life ever after” as the old great hymn proclaims.

Purpose comes with promise and victory, tis true! But often victory comes through the death of a thing before the abundant blossoms bloom a refreshing scent.

Pride is a thing waiting to be put to death before Christ can offer any platform worthy of public consumption. Pride killed Christ. It shall also kill us. At times, abundant life will bring us His sword.

I’ve found from my own mouth at times an utterance of “What is Thy great lesson here, Lord?”

If I believe that He truly orders my steps, then I must believe every moment of despair was figured into His divine equation for my life. In it lies purpose.

A season of rough terrain makes a soldier stronger. Words hard to swallow when in a crises of the heart for certain.

Yet, I would preach amiss if I left any impression of the abundant life being void of painful flowers.

For the beauty of the flowers depend on the rain. Without the rain, there shall be no flowers, indeed.

So abundant life has a hidden secret we may perhaps miss with today’s cheap gospel being preached.

The abundant life will cost you everything. Not one area of your life will go
untouched as Christ carries you from glory to glory into his abundant life.

The alabaster box was first broken before the scent filled the room. While fully intact, the scent was but limited.

There is no mountain without an attached valley. It is naturally impossible. But deep within that valley are seeds of abundant life that you may never have seen before about our Savior and your very own destiny.

We see life “abundant” means to also have an “advantage.”

Would we consider the advantage as an insight to the pain of others so we might be of help?

As the old saying goes, “It takes one to know one.”

To speak into a grieving heart must be another understanding heart who has borne, too, the intimate pain. Otherwise, we find many talking heads with no tender hearts.

So Christ and His abundant life gives us an advantage for the sake of the Kingdom. We are now able to live a life for the sake of others.

May it be well with your soul, and mine, when the abundant life brings blessing and may it be well also with our souls when it, perhaps, brings rain.

If rain must come

To water seed

Then Lord I bid it, “Come,”

If it shall help me better see

So I can better love.

If rain it draws me to Thine heart

Then, rain, upon my head.

For when the clouds do melt away

I’ll better understand.