The world encourages material accumulation and personal success for happiness, but this stands in contrast with Jesus' call to follow Him for abundant life.
Material success is fleeting and ultimately insignificant in the light of eternity, and while happiness is ambiguous, abundance as promised by Jesus is desirable and everlasting.
THE CONCEPT OF ABUNDANCE:
The Old Testament presents abundance in material terms, as seen in Deuteronomy 28:11 and Psalm 31:19, with the caveat that it required faithfulness to God.
Despite this, human nature led to repeated loss of abundance due to disobedience.
JESUS' REDEFINITION OF ABUNDANCE:
With Jesus, abundance is redefined from material wealth to a focus on a relationship with Him.
Matthew 6:33 highlights that by seeking God's kingdom first, material needs are met, allowing a life of true satisfaction in Christ.
BARRIERS TO ABUNDANT LIFE:
Human self-centeredness can make us lose sight of the fact that life is about Jesus, not ourselves.
Lack of personal engagement with God and relying on second-hand religious experiences prevent a deeper understanding and maturation in faith.
Half-hearted commitment to Jesus, seeking Him for absolution without full submission, limits the experience of abundance.
THE ESSENCE OF TRUE ABUNDANCE:
True abundance is found in Jesus Himself, not in money, success, or possessions.
Prioritizing Christ above all brings a 'Kingdom shine' to life, and it is accessible to anyone willing to say "yes" to Jesus as both savior and Lord.
Jesus' call to abundant life is an invitation to a satisfying, joyful, safe, and eternal life, beginning in the present.
On today’s program, Rob also answers listener questions:
I'm financially tight with only $2,000 cash; is it a good idea to buy a car now, used or new, since sharing one car is challenging?
I own a home and my girlfriend does too; if we get married, is it wise to use my dividend income to pay off her house and rent it out?
I have enough savings to pay off my mortgage; should I pay it off and then use a line of credit for future needs?
Given my husband is 68 and receiving minimal Social Security, and I have 10 years to work, should we use our savings to pay off our mortgage, considering we have no other debt?
If I sell my ocean-near apartment, should I buy a condo or rent considering the current high-interest rates, and what should I do with the mortgage as I approach retirement?
How should I best plan for retirement considering our assets, the potential of selling our apartment, and the idea of being debt-free at retirement?
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