John 10:10 …I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].

This can be frustrating

National Treasure - Nicolas Cage. This team of clue solvers unbelievably solve riddles to finally get to an abundant treasure hidden long ago.

The Secret lies with Charlotte.

The legend writ, the stain affected, the key in Silence undetected…

The vision to see the treasured past comes as the timely shadow crosses in front of the house of Pass and Stow

FOR THE CHRISTIAN, if we can crack these riddles we can get the abundant life God promises:

Malachi 3:10 “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”

2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

Isaiah 60:5 Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and exult, because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you.

Jesus calls us to live a life of abundance. How many of us have areas of our lives that don’t feel “abundant” despite our best attempts to solve these biblical riddles!

I am convinced that when we get to heaven, we will see that the only thing between us and an abundant life was limits WE PUT ON OURSELVES… it’s not riddles to solve. It’s a mindset.

Pops said, when we get to heaven we won't have any questions for God because we will fully realize that He was there with us the whole time! It was only our lack of faith that made us feel distant from the promises he has for us.

WE LIMIT OUR ABUNDANCE IN 3 WAYS

WE DEMAND THE ABUNDANCE MUST ORIGINATE FROM US

WE LIMIT OUR ABUNDANCE TO PUT GUARD RAILS AROUND GODS WRATH

WE DON'T ENJOY TODAYS ABUNDANCE FOR FEAR TOMORROW GOD WILL STOP PROVIDING

POINT 1 - WE LIMIT OUR LIFE OF ABUNDANCE BECAUSE WE DEMAND THE ABUNDANCE MUST ORIGINATE FROM US

This is a poverty mindset: which tells us that we must own the provision and own it in large quantities to be abundant.

We read verses about God’s riches and think, “how do we transfer those to me?”

Psalms 50:10

10 for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.

We feel like that is a verse about him owning the cattle… and we just need to figure out how to transfer them to us.

“This is a big dream Lord! Please sell one of your cattle and give that sweet cash to me!”

I don't think David is saying you can own all the cattle, like God does.

He was saying you can live abundantly, because your father owns everything.

There is a subtle, but radical mindshift

PILOT FISH

Watching Planet Earth, David Attenborough… watch an amazing relationship between sharks an APEX predator, and pilot fish.

Pilot fish are part of one of nature's most fascinating mutualistic relationships, guarding themselves from threats by tagging alongside sharks.

This relationship allows the pilot fish to live a lifestyle of the largest predators in the ocean. Travel further that any other fish of its size, and eating delicacies that it could never have tasted on its own.

How foolish for the pilot fish to think: “I can’t wait to be this shark, to swim wherever I want to go, to eat whatever I want to eat… WHEN WILL I HAVE MY DAY?!?”

That comparison is stealing the reality that he is living that life now!

“WHAT’S BETTER THAN OWNING A BOAT? HAVING A FRIEND WHO OWNS A BOAT.”

- Keven Kelly

PRODIGAL SON & BROTHER is about this!

Luke 15:11 11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need.

Luke 15:25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’

31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.

a story of two sons… one who was jealous of his Fathers wealth, and the other who didn’t realize he had full access to his Fathers wealth!!!

Both didn’t realize that what they wanted was already theirs

It's not about obtaining HIS riches… it's about being in RELATIONSHIP with the one who owns the riches!

By the way: the one who OWNS it assumes the RESPONSIBILITY of it!

In fact the responsibility of the riches can be too heavy for us! God allows us a better abundance, one that is FREE from the stress of owning… we get to FULLY enjoy!

What better than owning a kingdom? Having a father who owns a kingdom…

This is what that mindset change looks like:

Dream, of being in rich man’s house, he had to run to inspect some tiles he was installing. God telling me: you have enjoyed this house as much as the owner has.

I want to own everything in Target!

to

I pay a small rental fee to take anything from my storage warehouse. They manage my inventory, sourcing, and expiration of old produce for me. They even provide actors to go in and make my storage run experience lively and adventurous.

But isn’t that unfair? To act like the riches of this world are yours to enjoy??? Don’t we need to prove to the world that we got what it takes!!!

Luke 16:1-9 Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. 2 So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’

3 “The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg— 4 I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’

5 “So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’

6 “‘Nine hundred gallons[a] of olive oil,’ he replied.

“The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’

7 “Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’

“‘A thousand bushels[b] of wheat,’ he replied.

“He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’

8 “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. 9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

WE LIMIT OUR LIFE OF ABUNDANCE BECAUSE WE DEMAND THE ABUNDANCE MUST ORIGINATE FROM US

POINT 2 - WE LIMIT OUR ABUNDANCE TO PUT GUARD RAILS AROUND GODS WRATH

This is about legalism

– C.S. Lewis, The Silver Chair (the lion is God, we are Lucy)

“Are you not thirsty?" said the Lion.

"I am dying of thirst," said Jill.

"Then drink," said the Lion.

"May I — could I — would you mind going away while I do?" said Jill.

The Lion answered this only by a look and a very low growl. And as Jill gazed at its motionless bulk, she realized that she might as well have asked the whole mountain to move aside for her convenience.

The delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic.

"Will you promise not to — do anything to me, if I do come?" said Jill.

"I make no promise," said the Lion.

Jill was so thirsty now that, without noticing it, she had come a step nearer.

"Do you eat girls?" she said.

"I have swallowed up girls and boys, women and men, kings and emperors, cities and realms," said the Lion. It didn't say this as if it were boasting, nor as if it were sorry, nor as if it were angry. It just said it.

"I daren't come and drink," said Jill.

"Then you will die of thirst," said the Lion.

"Oh dear!" said Jill, coming another step nearer. "I suppose I must go and look for another stream then."

"There is no other stream," said the Lion.”

To protect herself from the potential wrath of the lion, Lucy almost chose not to drink from the only source of water!

Wait… if you feel it.

Matthew 25:24 - story of the talents.

24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground.

Any investment of his talent would have yielded a larger return (abundance) and yet we fear God’s uncontrollable power. So we think we can at least escape his wrath by limiting our exposure to possible abundance

If I don’t drink from the stream, I won't be eaten by the lion.

If I bury my seed, I won’t suffer from the harshness of the master.

Maybe then if we only drink from the stream a little… We falsy feel like if we only take a little water, than God will risk only a LITTLE of His wrath.

You may be limiting the abundance that you have access to, to falsely save yourself from God’s wrath.

2 wings of God

You cannot control God. Let go. Drink from the river. Drink until you are filled!

WE LIMIT OUR ABUNDANCE TO PUT GUARD RAILS AROUND GOD'S WRATH

1 CORINTHIANS 10:23

All things are lawful [that is, morally legitimate, permissible], but not all things are beneficial or advantageous. All things are lawful, but not all things are constructive [to character] and edifying [to spiritual life].

POINT 3 - WE DON'T ENJOYTODAY ABUNDANCE FOR FEAR TOMORROW GOD WILL STOP PROVIDING

Preppers show - Cool. Family that was storing up for the apocalypse. They walked through their house, and the cool factor started to fade as I saw the play room and girls room that had been completely emptied of any childlike joy to make room for the parents fear!

Our fear of the future can steal from the joy and abundance we could have in the present!

Thinking we can store today’s mana for fear that tomorrow God will not provide.

Exodus 16:17 17 And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. 18 But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat. 19 And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.” 20 But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them. 21 Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot, it melted.

Do not rob your life of abundance God is giving you today, to store up a form of faith that He will not be there for you tomorrow!!!

—--

John 10:10 …I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].

In the end, WE MAY BE believing these lies:

WE DEMAND THE ABUNDANCE MUST ORIGINATE FROM US

WE LIMIT OUR ABUNDANCE TO PUT GUARD RAILS AROUND GODS WRATH

WE DON'T ENJOY TODAYS ABUNDANCE FOR FEAR TOMORROW GOD WILL STOP PROVIDING

Keep us from experiencing abundance that is right in front of us! Already provided!

God wants you to live in Abundance!

Deuteronomy 28:2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God.

Let's all stand:

God, we repent of keeping ourselves from a life of abundance and faulting you for it!

Help us to participate in the abundance from your world!

Break our legalistic mindset that falsely protects us from your uncontrollable nature.

Help us to know that you will always provide, and we do not need to fear you leaving us.

Help us to move out of our own way of living an abundant life!