“I have come that you may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10
We are literally forever grateful for God’s gift of Eternal Life. We are also thankful for the abundant life He gives to His children. Abundant life! How would you define God’s gift of abundant life? Perhaps you could use the description of the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23: The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. There would certainly be many more ways to describe abundant life.Let me offer a different approach. What if abundant life involved both the beautiful qualities described above as well as the beautiful actions like those I am describing below?
When I look around at JIBC, I see abundant life! Last Sunday, our Hispanic Church baptized 9 precious souls. JIBC is scheduled for a beach Baptist on Wednesday, August 9 at Folly Beach County Park. So far, we have 7 who have signed up. That is an abundant life action! This week we have our annual Children’s Camp: next week a Student/Youth camp; the next week community wide sport camp! The fruit of abundant life! This past Sunday, Kat Cumberledge led a Mom’s Bible Study. Her room was full. Looks like abundant life. Pastor David equipped our JIBC praise band and tech crew to carry on full steam ahead…even in his absence! More sightings of abundant life. Above I asked how you would describe abundant life. Now I ask you “Where do you see the evidence of abundant life at JIBC?”
I could go on and on about the ways I see God moving. I didn’t ask permission to use this story, so I will leave the names out. One of our members was shopping at Goodwill for shoes to wear at work. Goodwill did not take the kind of payment he had so he put the 3 pairs of shoes back and would return the next day with cash. There was a lady behind him listening to the transaction. She paid for the young man’s shoes. The young man told her he had the money, just not the preferred way to pay. As they continued in the conversation, turns out they are both members here at JIBC. Another abundant life sighting!
Jesus came so that you may have eternal life and…abundant life. Don’t wait for Heaven…let’s bring heaven down each day. I love our church family!
Blessings,
Pastor Tom
