WELCOME TO THE LAND OF MORE AND MORE, Part 6

“He giveth MORE grace”
(James 4:6).

MORE FRUITFULNESS

John 15:2, 5, 8: “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth MORE fruit . . . He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth MUCH fruit . . . Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear MUCH fruit.”

God is a God of fruitfulness. He is not satisfied with fruit but wants MORE fruit. He is not even satisfied with more fruit. We glorify Him most when we bring forth MUCH fruit in our lives. We should always be seeking more fruitfulness.

MORE GLADNESS

Psalm 4:7: “Thou has put gladness in my heart, MORE THAN in the time that their corn and their win increased.”

Can you believe it? There is not one attitude in the Bible that should be average in our lives. Everything is MORE! Even gladness. We are to be MORE happy than the average person. How much joy and gladness is in your home? A little bit or bucket loads?

Jesus Himself had more gladness than anyone else. Hebrews 1:9 states: “Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity, therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” The New Living Translation says: “God has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you MORE THAN on anyone else.” The reason? Because He loved righteousness and hated iniquity.

Our joy is not dependent on our circumstances. David starts off this psalm telling how he was in distress. But he didn't let his distress get to him. As David focuses on God instead of his troubles his testimony changes in the psalm to not only gladness but MORE GLADNESS than in the time of great harvest (and that's when they really rejoiced, danced, and made merry). The full understanding of "gladness" in the Hebrew is “blithesomeness, glee, exceeding joy, joyfulness, mirth”. God doesn't want us to scrape the bottom of the barrel, but to have MORE!

I hope you are not just surviving today as you live in the land of MORE AND MORE. Never settle for the status quo. God always has more for you as you press into Him.

MORE GLORY

2 Corinthians 3:9-11: “For if the ministration of the condemnation be glory, MUCH MORE doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. For if that which is done away was glorious, MUCH MORE that which remaineth is glorious.”

Can you understand this glorious truth in the King James version? Perhaps I’ll give it to you in a simpler version to help you really get it. The NLT says: “If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how MUCH MORE GLORIOUS is the new way, which makes us right with God! In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new way. So if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious, HOW MUCH MORE GLORIOUS is the new, which remains forever!”

God descended on Mt. Sinai to give the law in fire and smoke with the whole mountain quaking—roaring thunder, flashing lightning, dense cloud, and the trumpet blaring loud and long (Exodus 19:16-19). But now we have a new and living way which is so much more glorious.

Let’s live in the fullness of this glory.

MORE GRACE

Romans 5:15-17 NET: “For if the many died through the transgression of the one man, HOW MUCH MORE did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one man Jesus Christ multiply to the many! . . . . For if, by the transgression of the one man, death reigned through the one, HOW MUCH MORE will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ.”

Verse 20 states: “Where sin abounded, grace did MUCH MORE ABOUND.”

We no longer have to live in bondage to sin, fear, defeat, rebellion. Jesus has brought us grace and salvation through shedding His blood upon the cross. God’s grace abounds and wins the day. Yes, in your life today if you will let Him.

PRAYER:

“Dear Father God, thank You so much for this MORE AND MORE kingdom You have brought me into. Please save me from living in the shallow waters when you have so much more for me. Because of your death upon the cross and Your resurrection, You want me to live in more gladness, more glory, and more grace. Please help me to understand this truth and live in the gloriousness of Your full salvation. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

Because of the truth of “Christ in me” I am living in glory and gladness.