Leading Life Abundantly

“Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21 KJV).

I have talked to many men that have expressed an inner emptiness.  Life is boring and seems to have no real purpose.  Many of these men are very successful businessmen and want for no material items.  It would be somewhat trite to say all they need is some Jesus.  Indeed, Jesus is “the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6).  I believe that for a person to lead a fulfilled life you must live in God’s power.  1 Cor. 4:20 teaches us, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.”  So, how do we access this power? 

1.  First, we must realize that God is God and we are not.  His ways are perfect, and He desires nothing but good for us.  We tend to trust ourselves and make decisions without prayerful consideration of His will.  However, we tend to only trust ourselves or maybe our spouse or a friend.  Yes, God can and does speak through others and we should seek counsel from both.  However, we eventually must choose who will we follow – ourselves or God.  Psalm 118:8 is a favorite scripture of mine.  “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans.”    People will let you down.  God never will.  We may not always understand His ways, but we love and trust Him. 

2.  In order to tap into the power of the kingdom, we must first seek it. Matthew 6:33 encourages us to, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”  So, how do we seek God?  “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).  We seek with all of our heart when we give our lives to Him.  God will not bless self-reliant people.  You may be financially successful and self-reliant, but recall the inner emptiness I talked about earlier?  God blesses those that are dependent upon him and surrendered to Him.  Matthew 5:5-9 tells us exactly who are blessed. 

  1. 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

    6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

    7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

    8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

    9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

      “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed”  (John 20:29).”

     

3.  The power of the kingdom comes from a direct relationship with God. We can cultivate that relationship by prayer and listening, studying Holy Scripture and discussing it with fellow Christians in small groups to gain a deeper understanding, worship, and talking and praying for and with your pastor.  Each day strap on the Armor of God!  “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes (Ephesians 6:10-11).  Note the reference to “His mighty power.”   The Apostle Paul describes the full armor in subsequent verses.

Prayer:  Dear Father, Thank you for the opportunity to live life abundantly.  Thank you for providing the path to do so.  Please keep us on the path.  We yearn for living water and to see Your face.  Help us to seek first Your kingdom and righteousness.  Amen.

Meet the Author

Todd Shupe is a Men’s Ministry Specialist through the General Commission of United Methodist Men and is in training to be a Certified Lay Minister through the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church. He currently serves as the President of the Baton Rouge District of United Methodist Men and is a Board Member for Gulf South Men and serves on the Action Team for The Kingdom Group. He is a volunteer for the Walk to Emmaus, Grace Camp, and Iron Sharpens Iron. Todd resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

We welcome your comments below.

Thank you for visiting. We trust that you have enjoyed reading our articles.

Liked this post?

Read more below or search for more topics...

  • How To Be An AAA Rated Father (Part 2)

    todd shupe
    How To Be An AAA Rated Father (Part 2) “And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison, that my soul may bless thee" (Genesis 27:25 KJV).Fathering is increasingly important because children are increasingly being born into either fatherless homes or homes in which the father is present but not active in the life in the child. Men have been appointed by God as the head of the home. I understand that many women find this troubling, and the Bible is full of stories of courageous women that have served the body of Christ. The...
    Read More

  • Present but Absent

    Present but Absent “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2 ESV). Many men are inherently competitive.  We want to be the best at what we do.  It pushes us to harvest the largest buck deer, catch the biggest fish, or grow the largest tomato.  We even compete in fantasy football.  A competitive nature helps us climb the ladder at work.   This inner drive has helped us to be financial providers for our...
    Read More

  • What is Truth?

    What is Truth? "Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6 NIV). In today’s society there is a constant battle over the truth.  I wonder how can something so simple as the truth be so difficult to understand and agree upon.  Facts are disputed, alternative facts are presented, and various groups all claim to have the truth regarding any issue: social, financial, medical, and even spiritual. You will never grow closer to Christ unless you understand the truth. Growth requires truth.  We might disagree on how to best...
    Read More