Living an Abundant Live
How do you create an environment that allows you to live with maximum impact and spiritual fruit? In the last TouchPoints Ministry e-Newsletter I introduced the concept of PACE… Purposeful Actions Creating Equilibrium. PACE creates space that allows you to live with intentionality and action, creating balance that results in spiritual fruit. PACE is doable with attention to a three-fold formula:
abiding + adjusting + Pruning = abundance
The Abiding Life: Jesus said in John 15:16 “… I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit… fruit that will last.” To be a fruit bearer requires time connected to the vine. New branches don’t immediately bear fruit. They must be cared for and nurtured. New branches tend to trail along the ground. When it rains the young branches get muddy and mildewed, sick and barren. The vine dresser lifts the branch out of the mud, washes it off, wraps and ties it securely to the trellis. Soon the branch is thriving and bearing fruit. How wonderful the Lord doesn’t leave us in the muck and mire of this world, but lifts us up, washes us clean, and provides the support needed to flourish and bear fruit.*
In John 15:5 Jesus also said, “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.” To live an abundant life means I must remain connected to Christ. Our choice is abundance through abiding or nothing apart from Him.
The Adjusted Life: The second factor in the formula is about balance. Remember watching a circus performer precariously balancing on a tight rope? Often my life feels like that performer as I try to balance all the priorities of life and ministry. Every day requires adjustments. That means moving the most important things to the top of my “To Do” list, and creating a “Not To Do” list. In a recent devotion written by my pastor, Joe Fuiten, he suggests a “Not To Do List”. Here are a few suggestions:
· Not to feel guilty for saying “no” to something that may be good, but not right for you.
· Not to worry about how well-adjusted your kids will be as adults.
· Not to feel over-responsible for everybody else’s well-being.
· Not to answer the phone after a certain time each night.
· Not to say yes just because you’ve been invited.
· Not to schedule busy activities on Sundays and family days.
· Not to think you have to make an elaborate meal, do laundry, clean the house and spend quality time with your family all at the same time.
· Not to ruminate over your own, or other people’s mistakes.
· Not to compare yourself to others.
As you look at your “To Do” List today… what will be delete, diminish, delegate or do? What would you put on your “Not to Do List” today?
The Pruned Life: A Pruned Life: John 15:2 tells us that “every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” He prunes to remove what is dead or dying, making sure sunlight gets to the fruit-bearing branches. He prunes to increase the size and quality of the fruit, and finally, He prunes to encourage new grapes to develop.
To make room for the abundance fruit-bearing in our lives, He will cut away the things that drain precious time and energy providing room for what is truly important to Him, At times we will not understand His methods, but we can trust His intentions. If you are now in the pruning season… pay attention! Don’t waste this season of preparation. Ask God whether you’re being pruned for greater fruitfulness or disciplined because of sin. If your response to the pruning process is right, you’ll begin to move from barrenness to blessing
An Abundant Life: John 10:10 reads, “I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.” Things will arise each day to keep you from spending quality time with the Lord. Allow the power that flows from the Lord to flow through you and nothing will keep you from reaching the abundant life Jesus promised.
When was the last time you took time for a personal retreat of solitude and prayer? If your spirit is dry, if you need direction, and desire to be refreshed and renewed, I invite you to come away to this year’s Refreshing the Heart Prayer Retreat, April 22-23rd.
What are you doing today to ensure that you are abiding, adjusting and allowing the Lord to prune what is needed for a full and abundant life? What do you need to delete, diminish, delegate or do?
I pray that you will live an abundant life… adjusted, abiding, and pruned. Until next time... God bless!
For more information and registration of this year’s Refreshing the Heart Prayer Retreat, please contact Tresa Myers at Tresa@touchpointsministry.org. I look forward to seeing you there.
(Devotional Excerpts are from The Word for You Today, by Pastor Joe Fuiten