abundance

The New Thing is a Great Thing

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” – Isaiah 43:18-19 In the above Scripture, God is doing a new thing! He’s doing a new thing in your life and my life right now. The new thing God is doing in our lives often feels painful, weird or may even feel like we’re losing everything. I want you to trust at this moment that the new thing God is doing in your life is actually good. God is preparing you for a season of real victory and abundance! Maybe God is doing what feels uncomfortable in your life right now, but my prayer is for you to comprehend this: When God does a new thing in your life, in

Read More »

Filled to Overflowing

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” – Luke 6:38 Yesterday we talked about living life with open hands. Today, I want to build on that idea by sharing with you a somewhat spiritual law that enables you to maintain this posture of openness: give away what you desire most.  I firmly believe that one of the best ways to invite God’s blessing into our lives is to give to others the thing that we feel we most lack. To some of you, this may sound like a radical proposition. In light of what the world teaches, it just may be. However, the idea behind it is that the more you give away, the more room you have to be filled

Read More »

Filled to Overflowing

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” – Ephesians 3:20-21 Yesterday we talked about living life with open hands. Today, I’d want to expand on that concept by sharing with you a spiritual law that allows you to keep this posture of openness: give away what you most desire. One of the most effective ways to invite God’s blessing into our lives, in my opinion, is to give to others what we most lack. This may feel radical to some of you, and it is in light of what the world teaches; but, the notion is that the more you give up, the more room you have to fill with wonderful things.

Read More »

God Gives More

“When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped. So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing and also articles of value—more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it.” – 2 Chronicles 20:24,25 As we wrap up our discussion about Jehoshaphat and the victory God granted the nation of Judah under his reign, I want to leave us with one final thought — when we wait for Him, the Lord always gives us more. Not only does He fight our battles so we remain safe, but He pours blessings into our lives lavishly. It’s interesting that when the Jewish soldiers arrived

Read More »

The Abundance of God

“You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance.” – Psalm 65:11 Very often, we think about the gift we receive in salvation being strictly in the context of Heaven, and that is important. However, it’s also important to remember that in Jewish culture, being blessed meant more than inheriting eternal life at death. Deuteronomy 28:5 says, “Your kneading baskets will be filled, and your crops will grow.” And Psalm 27:13 declares that we “…will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” Clearly then, God’s heart toward people has always been one of abundance. He delights in giving good gifts to His children in the here and now, and He is honored when we expect Him to deliver on His promises. He is not a “survival mode” kind of Savior — He’s the overflowing, never-ending, all-sufficient King of the Universe, and

Read More »

Born Again

“For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” – 1 Peter 1:23 One of the most amazing things that ever happened on Hour of Power was when Evel Knievel shared his testimony and got baptized. In case you’re too young to remember, he was a daredevil who did all kinds of crazy motorcycle stunts and performances in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s. He was super famous and uber wealthy, and he had everything a person could want from a worldly standpoint. Well, he called my Grandpa Schuller up one day in 2007 and asked if he could come on the show to share his story. Turns out he had become a Christian, and he was eager to let everyone know how his life had changed. Though he revealed many powerful things during his 20-minute-long interview that morning,

Read More »

Crushing Evil

“But Jael, Heber’s wife, picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep, exhausted. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died.” – Judges 4:21 I love that the Old Testament is full of stories about good conquering evil. Through the lens of a Jew born before Christ, every victory the Israelites had pointed to the ultimate victory of the Messiah and to the heart of a God who wanted justice to prevail. That said, there’s a very interesting account in the book of Judges, and I’m especially fond of it because it involves the forces of darkness being taken down by a woman. In the tradition of Eve, whose offspring would eventually crush the serpent’s head, this story is yet more proof of the Lord’s power to triumph over wickedness. Having been oppressed by a

Read More »

A Visit From God

“The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.” – Genesis 18:1,2 Yesterday, we discussed creating a hospitable place for Jesus in our hearts and lives. Interestingly, in Genesis 18, there’s an account of Abraham doing this very thing, only he had the honor of welcoming the Lord in the flesh. Taking the form of three men, most likely God and two angels, they appeared to him outside his tent in the heat of the day. Once he realized who they were, he ran to them quickly and bowed down low. Although ancient Middle Eastern culture was known to be hospitable, his

Read More »

The Overflow

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” – Psalm 23:5 Have you ever had a drink that’s so full to the top that you have to walk slowly to ensure that it doesn’t spill over? If so, then you understand the image that the Bible uses to describe the abundance that the Lord gives to us. Like that overflowing cup, God not only provides what we need to get by in life, but He gives us excessively more. Even in the midst of adversity and affliction, His grace gushes like a fountain, and He constantly fills our souls, minds, and spirits with His bounty. Being reminded of this is especially important after we’ve navigated the shock of a world-wide pandemic that has subjected millions to extreme loss. While we’re still dealing with the lingering effects of

Read More »

What’s Your Harvest?

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” – Galatians 6:7 Now more than ever, it’s important to remember that as Christians, we are seed planters. The Bible says that we will reap what we sow, and while this is often looked at in a negative context, it’s much more powerful when we consider the positive. We recently talked about Joseph of Arimathea, and his life is a perfect example of what happens when we plant seeds of selflessness and sacrifice, despite it being unpopular, costly, or risky. While everyone else walked away from Jesus, even His disciples, Joseph clung to his Lord, pulled the nails out of His wounded hands, wiped the blood and sweat from His now-cold brow, and dressed His body for burial. He gladly offered what he assumed would be a final act of sacrifice for the One he so

Read More »

Receive your daily eDevotional

Don't miss new updates in your email!