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Nuggets of Wisdom
Words to inspire, motivate, and guide you to
Successful
Living
THE ABUNDANT LIFE
Achieving more abundant living through
understanding and applying Biblical principles has always been at the core
of our teachings and what we do. From our Believers Prep Series to
the Farmers Market project in East St. Louis, those who have joined us know
that it is about moving members of our communities to a more abundant life.
The excerpt below, from Pastor J.C.
Matthew’s book "Your
Situation is Not Your Destination", serves as a reminder
that God has given us the key to making our lives fruitful and fulfilling -
His love.
We hope you enjoy Pastor Matthew’s words
about living abundantly.
If you would life further amplification of
this principle, attend our Believers Prep Series and experience in-depth
dialogue on the Biblical Heritage Factor. Your life will be changed
forever when you realize that access to abundant living is promised in the
bible.
Greatest of Them All
Rev. James C. Matthews
One of the greatest and most
underestimated provisions God has made available to us to make our lives
fruitful and fulfilling is His love! Nothing we achieve or possess is worth
anything unless we possess the love of God. The apostle Paul testified, "If I give all my
possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but
do not have love, it profits me nothing" (1 Cor. 13:3).
Love is the greatest commandment (Matt. 22:36-39), the greatest gift (1
Cor. 13:13), and the greatest of any spiritual fruit we can possess (Gal.
5:22). The perfect love of God casts out fear (1John 4:8) and covers a
multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8). Love is both a "gift" and a
"fruit" given by the Spirit of God to empower us to live life to
its fullest!
I've discovered through years of
ministering to people that many of them truly do not believe that God cares
about their day-to-day well-being. They believe that getting saved and being
spared the horrors of hell is all God has planned for them in this life.
They mistakenly assume that "abundant life" is synonymous with
the "after life." This misconception causes many people to
conclude that they must wait until they die to experience abundant life.
They perceive life as something to be endured instead of something to be
enjoyed. This is wrong! Jesus said that He came that we might have and
enjoy life in abundance, to the full, till it overflows (John 10:10, Amp.).
He came not only to save our souls but also to offer us a more abundant way
of living that is full and overflowing. In 3John 1:2, God expressed His
will for our earthly lives when He stated through the pen of the apostle
John, "I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good
health, just as your soul prospers." God desires that we prosper and
be fruitful in all respects. Can you receive this revelation? Well, it is
the truth! Armed with this revelation we should raise our expectations of
life and pursue one that is full and overflowing. God wants us to do more
than merely exist and endure life. He wants us to enjoy, prosper, and live
fruitful lives.
Understanding the preeminence of God's
love and its impact on every area of our lives is essential to our living
an abundant and fruitful life that glorifies God (John 15:8). When we
possess and live according to God's love, we possess and live in God's
best. We possess everything we need to succeed and prosper. Jesus
proclaimed that, "I
am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he
bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing"
(John 15:5). "Just
as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love"
(John 15:9). Jesus reveals that the effective agent that flows from Him to
us and empowers us to live an abundant and fruitful life is the love of
God. Everything flows from and depends upon the love of God!
The abundant life is more than an
abundance of possession but engenders the concept of wholeness. Living the
abundant life involves our being divinely directed, empowered, and supplied
to fulfill God's purpose for us in life. We must first possess abundance
internally before it will manifest externally in our lives.
Abundance is the fruit of God's
"agape" love. Agape is the limitless, selfless, and overflowing
love of God that transcends our sins, situations, and stations in life. It
makes our lives full, complete, and worth living. In making our transition
from our situation to our destination, we must be cognizant of the source
of every blessing and success we experience along the way. Without God's
love in us, and our willingness to share this love with others, it all
means nothing. Always remember that, "your situation, is not
your destination- only preparation!
Excerpt from Pastor J.C. Matthews book
"Your Situation is Not Your Destination".
(Various scriptural references)
Pastor James C. (J.C.) Matthews is the founder and Senior Pastor of the
multi-cultural non-denominational Dunamis Life Ministries of Dallas, Texas.
Pastor Matthews is known for his love of God's Word, unusual wisdom,
passionate preaching style and gift of practically applying scripture to
everyday. He is the author of the Saved but Stuck: 30 Days to Personal
Revival". "I'll Come... When I Get Myself Together" and
"My Situation Is Not My Destination - Only Preparation".
J.C. Matthews lives in the Dallas / Ft. Worth Texas area with his wife Gena
and four children.
Updates and
New Videos
Last week we
mentioned that Dr. G attended a Federation conference of farmers in Elk,
Alabama. While there, he connected with the farmers who will be
supplying the East St. Louis Farmers Market. See the video.
Meet the
Regional Director of the Birmingham, AL chapter of the LLIFE movement, Aaron Maxey.
On Saturday,
August 30, a class of 10 will graduate from LLIFE’s Believers Prep
Series course. The graduation will take place at LLIFE’s Smart
Training Center in East St. Louis.
The East St.
Louis Farmers Market building project is looking good. This video shows
how the front of the building is taking shape, a new roof is being
installed, and the inside is in the process of being framed.
On September
25, Dr. G will be one of the keynote speakers at the “Opportunity” East St.
Louis business conference in the Grand Ballroom of the Casino Queen
hotel in East St. Louis. His topic is: “A New Day, A New Way, A New
Community … Change”.
In October,
Dr. G will kick off the Jackson MS chapter of the LLIFE movement.
Dr. Gerald
and the Successful Living Team
LLIFE
110 N. Main Street
East St. Louis, IL 62210
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I am the vine, you are
the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for
apart from Me you can do nothing
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