A Nugget from New Life Network
Scriptures for the Day (April 26,2018)
Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)
My father was raised during the depression and there were many times he did not have enough to eat. It is hard for some of us to realize what that does to a person since most of us have never been hungry like that. In my father’s case, it made him ultra conservative. By that I mean when he did work his way into a good paying job he never wanted to take any risks or venture out beyond that security blanket. He was just very thankful to have enough to provide for his family which he took very good care of. On the other-hand, his son (me) has a little different attitude. My attitude (especially after being saved) has always been that I want more. I want everything God has for me. I do not want to come to the end of my life only to find out that God had much more available for me that I was not willing to partake of. That would just be a real bummer for me!!!
I heard a testimony the other day about a poor Puerto Rican kid that was raised in Humboldt Park, one of the roughest areas of Chicago. His father was an alcoholic and had left his mother with six children to raise. He grew up never having enough. Most of the kids in his neighborhood ended up on drugs, in gangs, and eventually in prison, but not this kid. At 14 years of age he attended a church youth camp and a woman prophesied over him that God was going to make him a great leader and that he would be used mightily by God (thank God for the gifts of the Spirit). This kid grabbed onto that and now pastors one of the fastest growing churches in Chicago. His name is Choco De Jesus and he pastors New Life Covenant Church. Time Magazine recently named him as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World.
Pastor Choco recently authored a book entitiled “Move Into More” that will be released in the near future. In “Move into More”, Pastor Choco explains that God has promised a life of more—joyful contentment that comes from living passionately with a purpose—to anyone who follows him in obedience. It’s not who you are, he says, it’s what Jesus can do if you will let him.
He encourages people to ask themselves this question. Does “abundant life” describe the life you’re living now? Or do words like busy, overwhelming, disappointing, exhausting, come to mind instead? Today, more than ever, we long for satisfaction in our lives and fulfillment in our faith but come up empty. We are lacking, and that hole can’t be filled by money, prestige, or stuff. If you’re willing to Move into More, your eyes will be opened to the all-powerful, all-loving God who wants more for you than you can imagine in your wildest dreams. When you follow Him faithfully and obediently, you will find peace in your problems, rest in your weariness, order in circumstantial chaos, and joy in trials.
The key word here is “willing”. Are you willing? Are you willing to step out beyond what your parents and friends have experienced and go on an adventure with God? If you are, God has more!!!
