THE MORE ABUNDANT LIFE

PSALMS 36:9

A. HUMANITY IN SEARCH FOR THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE
  1. Efforts of Medical Science:
    1. Great progress has been made for the prolongation of life.
    2. Numerous diseases have been checked and the general health of the people has improved.
  2. Material wealth in the United States of America has never been greater; and the people seem to enjoy undreamed of prosperity:
    1. Slogans "we have never had it so good" are government sponsored.
    2. The food supply in the United States of America has never before been so abundant as now.
B. BUT THE MORE ABUNDANT LIFE SEEMS TO EVADE THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE
  1. Many seek it in the wrong place:
    1. Some think that it is in the abundance of material wealth - Jas. 5:1-11
    2. But our Saviour informs us that "a man's life consisted not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth" - Luke 12:15
      1. That was true in the experience of Nabal - 1 Sam. 25:5-38
      2. Our Saviour warns against attaching our heart to material riches - Luke 12:16-21
      3. The abundance of material wealth will doom the wealthy of the last days - Jas. 5:1-9
  2. The More Abundant Life:
    1. Is, by and large, of a spiritual nature -
      1. That is what James tells us - Jas. 2:5; 1 Cor. 1:27
      2. That is the life that reveals itself in man's character - Phil. 4:8
    2. The more abundant life is manifested -
      1. Chastity or pure in heart - Matt. 5:5
      2. Sterling honesty - Job 1:1-3; Dan. 6:4, 5
      3. A clear conscience - Acts 24:16
    3. Peace of mind - When John Huss, so we are told, walked to the stakes he sang a song of praise. Paul and Silas sang songs of praise, while their bodies were bleeding - Acts 16:24, 25
    4. Confidence is still another ingredient of the more abundant life -
      1. The young man David had more of this life than Saul and all his army - 1 Sam. 17:1-52
      2. Daniel, when he was put to a test about the kings meat revealed a wealth of confidence in God's care - Dan. 8:19
      3. The three Hebrews, too, had the more abundant life that enabled them to defy the commandment of Nebuchadnezzar - Dan. 3:12-28
C. THE TRUE SOURCE OF THE MORE ABUNDANT LIFE
  1. Is with God and Him alone:
    1. "For with thee is the fountain of life."
    2. "In thy light shall we see light" - Ps. 36:9
    3. "They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shall make them drink of the river of pleasure" - Ps. 36:8
  2. Jesus Christ is God's channel to bestow the more abundant life upon all who hunger and thirst for that life:
    1. Said He, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" - John 14:6
    2. "I am the resurrection and the life" - John 11:25
    3. The saddest words our Saviour spoke are, "ye will not come to me, that ye might have life" - John 5:40
  3. There are two more ingredients of the more abundant life, worthy of our notice:
    1. Love - "God is love" - 1 John 4:8 - It is said that love is so much a part of God that when you speak of one you include the other.
    2. Faith - "The just shall live by faith" - Rom. 1:17


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