ABUNDANCE!

“I will ABUNDANTLY bless her provision.” (Psalm 132:15, my emphasis)

In the process of writing this post, more and more passages come to mind either containing this word (or words that share a root with it (e.g.,  abundant, abounding, bountiful)  or words that carry a similar meaning (e.g., generous, liberal, fill to the full, overflowing)  Our God is indeed a limitless, generous, gracious, giving, eager-to-bless, bountiful, abounding-in-goodness God!  And He has made sure that we, as His children, have access to this abundance of provision in all aspects of our lives.  But before diving into the Scriptural proof of this abundance, I want to mention something I never considered before doing this study which relates to this study;  and it has to do with a comparison between Mary, the mother of Jesus, and us as regenerated carriers of the  Life of Christ.

Inside of us is the power of an endless Life (Hebrews 7:16)

The Lord Jesus was brought into the womb of Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit;  He was indeed inside of her (Matt.1:18;Luke 1:31), and He was indeed then the God-Man, the Savior of the world in fetal form yet fully God and fully human.  But He had not yet died, been buried, resurrected nor had He ascended.  Thus, inside of this precious, chosen woman was the “bios” life of the Lord Jesus Christ.  She was fully strengthened, protected, and covered  by God to carry out this one-of-a-kind call, but it was not with resurrection Life inside of her … the endless, abundant Life that we are privileged to carry in us.  Inside of us is “zoe” life:  the resurrection Life of God Himself.  Inside of us is the Risen Christ with the power of an endless Life, without limits (Heb.7:16), imperishable.  This is the ABUNDANT Life that He promises us in John 10:10b – “I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (till it overflows).” (Ampl)  If we don’t believe  these words the Lord Himself spoke while on earth in human form, we will have difficulty embracing the multitude of promises following, in all the epistles – and even those preceding the Gospels, in the Old Testament, as we tasted a little in the preceding paragraphs.

” [He] … is able to … do superabundantly … above all that we [dare] ask or think …”  (Ephesians 3:20)

If we choose to receive Grace to grasp these two promises mentioned above, we will have little trouble embracing the multitude of promises concerning His generous nature and eagerness to bless His people with abundance.  Ephesians 3:20 is one such promise that, if we let it be lodged deeply in our hearts, could revolutionize our prayer life:  “Now to Him Who, by … the [action of His] power that is at work in us, is able to … do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams] – ”  Believing these precious words, and acting in faith, by Grace,  upon them, activates His power within us, and He is able to do far beyond what we even asked Him!  This in turn results in the thanksgiving of many, which redounds to the glory of God (II Corinthians 4:15), fulfilling His purpose for creating us (Isaiah 43:7)!  This is a great motivation for receiving abundant Grace.

” … those who receive God’s overflowing grace … and the free gift of righteousness [will] reign as kings in life through … Jesus Christ …”  

The Lord is looking for those who will receive from Him in abundance and even promises to reward them for freely receiving!  ” … if because of one man’s trespass … death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God’s] overflowing grace … and the free gift of righteousness … reign as kings in life through the one Man, Jesus Christ …”  Romans 5:17)  This promise is all the richer when we consider that this is the same quality of Grace that Mary found with God, according to the proclamation of the angel which He sent to her before the miraculous conception:  ” Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace (free, spontaneous, absolute favor and lovingkindness) with God.” (Luke 1:30).  In Genesis 6:8 Noah likewise found grace in the eyes of the Lord.  The emphasis here was the condescension of a superior to one of inferior status.  Isn’t this the posture of the Lord with us from the beginning, from Eternity Past!?  And He has promised that we would always have access to this abundant Grace (Rom.5:2), no matter what condition or state we are in, and even when we have failed miserably:  “…where sin increased and abounded, Grace has surpassed it and increased the more and superabounded.” (v.20b)  What a contrast to how how the world operates:  In the world system you do and then you receive;  in the Kingdom of God you receive then you do!

” … the Lord has dealt bountifully with you!”

In Psalm 119:17, Ezra cried out to the Lord to deal bountifully with him (His servant) that he might live.  But David in Psalm 116:7 instructed his soul in this way:  “Return to your rest, oh my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you!” (my emphasis)  A similar declaration by David is seen in Psalm 142:7 – “The righteous will surround me and crown themselves because of me, for You will deal bountifully with me.”  David knew – indeed, he had determined – to receive abundantly from the God of all Grace, Whom He knew to be full of unfailing Love and everlasting Mercy.  He knew that the resources of the Lord were limitless and that He rejoices in providing abundantly for all our needs (Psalm 132:15), as Paul also recognized (Philippians 4:19).

A NOTE:   It’s my conviction that David was chosen to be  Prince of the Millennium because he chose to trust the Character of God, that  He would always be true to His Word, His promises.  Thus, he was continually available to receive His Mercy and compassions moment by moment, knowing and trusting completely  in God’s merciful Nature.  This delighted the Lord, Who takes great pleasure in those who hope in His Mercy and Lovingkindess (Psalm 147:11).

“God is able to make all Grace (every favor and earthy blessing) come to you in abundance …” (II Corinthians 9:8, Ampl)

The second part of this verse continues with the results of receiving this abundant Grace:  “so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient [possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation].” Notice the “all”‘s and the “every”‘s and “whatever” and the “always”‘s!  These are words from the Heart of a gracious, generous, and giving God, unlimited in His resources.  Oh, let us not be such who, as Paul expressed in Galatians 2:21, would treat God’s gracious gift as something of minor importance and defeat its very purpose – i.e., let us not set aside, invalidate, frustrate, or nullify the Grace of God (Amplified).  Remember another declaration of the liberality of the Lord towards us that Paul penned in Romans 8:32 – “He Who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, will He not also with Him freely and graciously give us all [other] things?”

“The Lord is able to give you much more than this.” (II Chronicles 25:9b)

These were words of a man of God to the King of Judah when the former had told the king that the Lord would not be with him in battle if he took with him the 100,000 Israelite mercenaries which he had hired for 100 talents.  Amaziah’s first concern was “But what about the 100 talents?”  It was then that the man of God said, “The Lord is able to give you much more than this.”  When we have made an investment of time, money, labor, or personal sacrifice in order to reach a certain goal,  and the Lord says,in essence, to do something or to go somewhere that opposes our plans and investments, what do we say?  Hopefully, we would have a mindset like that of Mary who said to the angel in Luke 1:38 “Let it be unto me according to your word.”   The former Archbishop Leighton, in regard to this spiritual posture, gives wise counsel:  “Do not look at your own faith;  look at God’s faithfulness!  Do not look around on circumstances;  keep on looking at the limitless resources of the Infinite God!” So let us not set aside, invalidate, frustrate, or nullify the Grace of God.  May He give us of this Grace, in abundance, to not limit Him in giving all that He is waiting to graciously give us! (Isaiah 30:18)

” … I know how to … live in straitened circumstances, and … how to enjoy plenty and live in abundance … ” 

When we begin to grasp the generous Nature of our God behind this doctrine of abundance we will be able to say with the Apostle Paul:  ” …I am not implying that I was in any personal want, for I have learned how to be content (satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted) in whatever state I am.  I know how to be abased and live humbly in straightened circumstances, and … how to enjoy plenty and live in abundance … .  I have learned in any and all circumstances the secret of facing every situation …” (Philippians 4:11,12, Ampl)  What was this “secret” to contentment, to self-sufficiency in Christ (v.13), to maintain equanimity in any and all circumstances?  I believe it was GRACE!  Was it not Paul who said in I Corinthians 15:10, “By the Grace of God I am what I am, and His Grace toward me was not … for nothing (fruitless and without effect).  In fact, I worked harder than all of them … though it was not really I, but the Grace … of God which was with me.”

Lord, You have crowned this past year with Your [ABUNDANCE] and with Your goodness! (Psalm 65:11)

The Lord has indeed abundantly blessed our provision in all ways this past year;  and by His Grace He will follow us throughout every day of this new year with abundant mercy, lovingkindness, and unfailing Love (Psalm 23:6), so that at the end of 2023, we will likewise declare with David “You have crowned the year with Your bounty and with Your goodness!”

“May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing … that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may ABOUND and be overflowing … with hope.”  (Romans 15:13, Ampl, emphasis mine)

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Jenny Perry

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