Abiding to Abundance by Bryan Craig
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10
My wife, Missy, and I have led multiple Couples Journey Groups. I remember, in the beginning, I had to drag her into it because she didn’t really understand what it was about, and she considered it a “men’s ministry.” But she has always been such a supportive wife and has followed me on many crazy faith adventures. It was our 3rd or 4th Couples Journey Group, after we had been obedient to a calling to leave our life in Tulsa and move to Northwest Arkansas to give our lives to this mission called Influencers. We were in the section of The Journey that digs into the concept of Abiding, challenging the participants to ponder which season of life they are in… Discipline, Pruning, Deepening, Sifting.
For those reading who may have never gone through The Journey, let me briefly explain.
Discipline- If there is willful sin in our lives, God must discipline us, for our own good, until the sin ceases, so we can begin to bear fruit.
Pruning- When we examine our lives, and we do not identify any willful sin, yet we are feeling pain, we are likely being pruned. God, the Gardener, is removing something from us that is hindering our fruit production. Bruce Wilkinson, in his book Secrets of the Vine, says “Discipline is intended to remove Sin… Pruning is to remove Self.”
Deepening- A sweet, rich season when we are enjoying God and He is enjoying us, and He is revealing many deeper truths to us.
Sifting- This is a difficult season for those whom God is preparing for a greater ministry, much like Peter, who was told by Jesus that Satan had asked permission to sift him. It is severe testing, but it prepares a man or woman for the greatest fruit.
In the midst of this lesson, Missy and I were having a discussion about this, and she told me that she believed she was being pruned and then she said the most profound thing to me:
I believe God wants to give us an abundant life… and it has nothing to do with money.
This was a big moment. Most of you know my story, but ashamedly, I, for many years, was living a life in pursuit of wealth. Even after I surrendered to the Lord in a deep way at 30 years old, I was trying to “have my cake and eat it too,” meaning I wanted to be wealthy AND serve the Lord wholeheartedly. I’d seen a few wealthy friends who seemed to be able to pull it off, but that wasn’t his plan for me. He had to break me financially to get me to start trusting His plans versus my plans.
When Missy talked about this “abundant life,” it was a reference to Jesus’ words as He Himself being a Shepherd and us being sheep. He says this:
Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 10:7-11
So, Jesus is “The Door.” Yes, He is the way, the truth, the life… He is the pathway to the life we are seeking.
Jesus is “The Good Shepherd.” He not only shows us the way. He wants to guide us where we need to go.
Jesus gives us “Abundance.” What is this? Abundance of possessions? A quick internet search tells me that “abundance” means “material wealth, a surplus of everyday goods, or a political and economic focus on building rather than restricting.”
Something in our flesh nature and this worldly culture makes us think this is what we want or need. Just like the man described in scripture as Jesus taught:
“The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:16-21
His major point was this: “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his
possessions.” Luke 12:15
So, if Jesus’ promise of abundance is not material possessions, what is it?
It’s Treasure.
It’s not buried treasure, or hidden treasure, though sometimes we have to dig into our hearts to find it. I love the way that Luke described Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Right after Jesus was born and the shepherds came to visit, under the bright glow of a majestic star, it says these peculiar words:
“Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” Luke 2:19
And later in that same chapter, when Jesus was a teenager, and he had been amazingly interacting with the teachers in the temple, astounding everyone. He told them that the temple was His Father’s house, and Mary and Joseph knew He was sent for great things.
It says, “His mother treasured up all these things in her heart.” Luke 2:51
Jesus showed Mary real Treasure. Jesus, God with us, coming to earth miraculously. Jesus, from the very beginning, drawing men to Himself. Jesus, full of wisdom and answers to life’s questions that defied explanation. Mary understood something that Missy understood:
Jesus wants to give us an abundant life… and it has nothing to do with money.
It is a life of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control. It is a life of purpose, taking our eyes of ourselves and the things we can explain, and giving ourselves to God’s will.
It is a life of purity, allowing God to strip away all the fake treasure and pleasure in our lives.
Jesus said it best this way:
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy
and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in
heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in
and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew
6:19-21
How do you find this treasure? Abide in Jesus, and He will give it to you.