He gives abundant life

“No where cool” was an inscription on one of our neighbours houses in Ghana. This was several years ago. I am not sure if this inscription is still there or has been painted off. Whoever wrote that inscription was just telling whoever cares to know that there is no rosy place anywhere. Everywhere one goes has its own challenges no matter big or small those challenges may be. There is nowhere without life’s attendants’ problems, so before you take solace, note that there is possibly a “heat” in that place. Indeed life can make everything and everywhere feel uncomfortable and for many people, they find comfort in temporary relief such as indulging in alcohol, sexual immorality, taking substances into their bodies among many others. Can we really enjoy life to the fullest on earth and even after life?

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)

This question and many others have driven many people to look for solutions in places and in things that end up compounding the circle of pain and suffering. The devil has taken advantage of humanity’s quest for a better life and has introduced different alternative lifestyles that have landed people in bigger delima. Temporary satisfaction coupled with eternal pain and suffering has been the alternate route many have headed to. However, we can have it way better on earth and even more enjoyable in the life hereafter. Jesus speaking to His followers told them about the shepherd and the thief. Jesus calls Himself the good Shepherd. In ‭‭John‬ ‭10:11‬ ‭(KJV‬‬), Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” The good shepherd gives his eternal life to the sheep so the sheep has eternal life. On the other hand, the thief, according to Jesus, does not lay his life for the sheep but even steals the life out of the sheep. In fact, according to Jesus, “the thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (‭‭John‬ ‭10:10‬ ‭KJV‬‬).

The giver of abundant life is Jesus, our good shepherd. He fills us with good things here on earth and in life thereafter. Abundant life is all-encompassing, all-sufficient and all-sustaining. It is the God kind of life. The life that brings joy and fulfillment. It is the self expression of the life of God in a person. It does not fulfill temporary needs only, it is eternal with an eternity mindset. Everyone who comes to Jesus is a potential recipient of this abundant life. He provides it for those who put their trust in Him. Instead of relying upon the thief and being robbed of life’s basic needs, we can trust the shepherd to give us life in abundance. When we know the end result of our communion with the great shepherd, it will be a blunder to leave our lives in the hands of the thief. Who is your life giver? Are you ready for abundant life in the Great shepherd? You have a choice, whether to trust in the shepherd or in the thief. Whoever wins your trust determines the kind of life you will enjoy. Joshua, the successor of Moses knew this truth and just before died, he made the declaration that “But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (‭‭Joshua‬ ‭24:15‬b).

Who you chose to serve, will determine the trajectory of your life. Abundant life and emptiness have been set before you today. Choose wisely.

The Shepherd and the thief: abundant life and emptiness

 A few years ago, while an undergraduate student in Ghana, I experienced an unfortunate event on campus. I wore a new dress to church, washed the dress later and hung it on the drying line. In fact, that drying line had been drying my clothes since I moved to that student hall. Other students had complained of missing clothes from the drying line but I was yet to experience that. The thief decided to show up on the day I washed this new dress. By the time I went to remove my clothes, this particular new dress was lost. Thieves do not announce their presence. Even if they give you signals, they still arrive when you least expect. The purpose of the thief is to take what does not belong to them by force. They vandalize properties and sometimes kill people in their attempt. Thieves enter full houses and leave the houses all messed up and empty. Be on the watch for the thief!

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)

While we could avoid robbers in the light of proper security systems, there is a particular thief who tends to evade technology. His goal is to steal, kill and destroy and these he does to completion. Jesus is our Good Shepherd and the devil is the thief prowling around and looking for a stray sheep to devour. Whenever a sheep leaves the flock, they are susceptible to the attacks of the thief. How do we avoid this thief? Jesus said, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:9‭-‬10 NKJV). Thus, the thief is interested in the sheep that wanders away from the door. Issues of life have the potential to cause one to wander away. Our attitudes could make us prone to the actions of the thief. The goal of the Shepherd is to give you an abundant life. The goal of the thief is to rip you off and leave you empty.

Life can be lived and enjoyed to the fullest. Abundant life refers to a life filled with the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23); a life without anxiety, depression and pain; a life with an ultimate goal of eternity and salvation. Abundant life does not consist of our possessions but our relationship with the chief Shepherd. I am a great advocate of saving for the future but investment secures a sustainable future not an abundant life. In fact, our journey to abundant life begins with our confession of Jesus and our acceptance of His Lordship. Walking with an eternity mindset and living with Christlikeness viewpoint yields abundance in the spiritual and the physical. Our God is interested in the total facet of our lives and He desires that we experience abundant life on earth. However, we have to be careful of having an abundant life mindset. 

Trust the chief Shepherd to give you life in its fullest. The thief is an expert in emptiness. Do not give him a chance!

Physical changes: The new is here!

Over the weekend, we had a picnic at church and I used the skipping rope for the first time in a few years. It was not a pleasant experience. I felt so tired and jumping back and forth was quite challenging. Skipping was one of the easiest training exercises I could do in the past. Now, my body has gone through changes. Since I had not been using the skipping rope for a long time, my body is yet to adjust to using it. My resolution is to continue exercising with the skipping rope until I get used to it again. Changes in the physical body are inevitable. Growth is the key factor that propels change. When we are younger, our bodies are able to do certain rigorous activities, as we grow older, we cease to be physically strong as we were in the past. The body therefore needs certain types of activities to keep the muscles active.

The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17b)

Growing older is a blessing and we need to appreciate God for the grace to live a longer life. However, we should not take for granted that as we grow, we should be intentional about investing in our health and well-being. Growing older is a new state that we have to get used to. We need to be prepared for it and one can never run away from old age. Growing old reminds me of the verse that says: “The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17b). Here, the old refers to our old physical state and the new refers to our current state. We should not lose sight of the changes we go through each day and we should make room for age appropriate physical training. As believers, we should approach our health with the knowledge that God wants us to live life in abundance  and this includes being in good health. 

When we come to understand this, we will make plans for our well-being. We invest for the future, which is very good. We buy houses, cars, and make sure that when we retire, we will live comfortably. But do we invest into our health and well-being? As we grow, what plans do we have to ensure that we live a good life void of avoidable health complications? It is great to have a reliable life insurance policy but it is also great to have a dedicated plan to keep fit and healthy. While we pay for premiums and monthly deductions for our investments, we should make a conscious effort to make time for our health and well-being. Being aware that the insurance alone cannot give you the quality life you need if all your limbs and muscles are aching. You might spend the rest of your retirement visiting health practitioners instead of living your best life. 

If we fail to invest into our health and well-being, we plan to spend our future on medications with adverse effects. Be intentional to prioritize your health needs. 

To read more of these, grab my book A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE: YOUR LIVING SACRIFICE here.

The Original life owner

Growing up in Ghana, I heard popular cliché such as “life owner”, “living my full life”, “best life” and many more. It is easy to think that we live our best lives when we are in control of everything including our fashion style, our finances, our businesses, our marriage, our children etc. These things are good and might give temporary satisfaction but they do not give you a full life. The most hardworking people are all rich and famous. Why do we need to work when we are still rich? Why don’t we get permanent satisfaction from pleasure? Why do we still desire things each day?

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).

Man’s insatiable needs cannot be satisfied with man’s hardwork and riches. In fact, whether you are working hard or smart, none is able to make you whole. When we started our online business (working smart), it did not stop us from desiring to have more opportunities to work. The devil is much aware of man’s insatiable appetite for wealth and affection. Therefore, he comes like a thief (usually not clothed as a thief) to entice man until he steals you from God, kills your dreams and visions and finally destroys you and makes you a candidate for hell.

The level of total and permanent satisfaction is only found in Christ. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” Jesus is the original “life owner”, He gives grace to “live life in full” and we have our “best life” through Him. It doesn’t mean you will have a bed of roses, what it means is that you will be made spiritually whole and thus be able to escape the deceitfulness of the devil. So the question is, are you living your best life now?”

To ponder:
With Jesus in your boat, you are assured of getting to your destination. When the storms and the tempest roll, He will just proclaim, PEACE, BE STILL. Therefore, commit to making Jesus the captain of your life.