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There is a saying in life ‘that too much of anything is never a good thing’. I would tend to agree with that quote in all things except in regards to Jesus.

Jesus himself says in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

Todd always loves to point out in his sermons that having life more abundant in Christ doesn’t always mean just the good things. Living more abundant in Christ, possessing more of Jesus, allowing God to seep into all parts, and letting the Holy Spirit indwell every aspect of your life is not always easy…and the result is not always smooth.

We visited with some friends of ours recently and they told us their family’s theme of the year was going to be ‘wisdom’. Todd and I thought that was pretty cool. I left them thinking about what our family’s them might be. Todd and I haven’t talked about this directly, but at the end of this past year what was becoming clear to he and I was the idea of ‘more of Jesus’. That is what we put in our Christmas card not just as a trite sentiment but because that is truly what we wished for those we cared about. We wanted 2008 to be a year that they saw more of Jesus in their own life…no matter what that looked like.

I reviewed my blog on satisfaction (http://juliegphillips.blogspot.com/2007/11/satisfaction.html) and realized that God was working, even then, on making this concept clear in my life. And as with most truths that God reveals to me, I have to process them for a while before I can truly claim them for my own life. Why? Well, because my Christian experience has taught me that nothing from God is cheap. We see that especially in the cost that Jesus paid for our lives. There is a cost in truly following God and one should always be willing to pay the price before stepping out in faith.

I don’t mean to sound negative because the rewards are great. God’s peace and God’s joy is worth anything…truly! And…we know, that we know, that we know- that God will always catch us. But…there might be a time of falling. And a time of struggle.

Todd, Parker and I were watching the 3rd Indiana Jones movie and at the end he has to step out into the abyss in faith…and as you know- there appears a walkway, seemingly in the midst of thin air. But there is a short time of falling before the walkway appears.

More of Jesus…more faith, more willingness to face trials, more opportunity to fall, and more opportunity for your faith to mature and be strengthened in the understanding of ultimate dependence on God.

John 15 and 16 are so very powerful. Jesus begins chapter 15 with the example of the vine and the branches and how important it is to stay tied to the vine, Jesus and His word, to gain sustenance. He goes on in chapter 16 to express why…because the disciples were going to face many trials after Jesus’ death- including grief and sorrow. There is a lot of truth and promises revealed in both of these chapters but one of the most powerful statements occurs in the very last verse of Chapter 16:

33"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

And that is what we hold onto…that is what gives us hope- the knowledge that Jesus has overcome the world and all that is in it. The victory is already won…so we can safely pursue more of Jesus, even knowing we might have a time of free fall, because in HIM we find peace…and ultimately victory.

But…apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5 I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”)

Are you ready to have more of Jesus…More trials, more learning, more conviction, more sorrow, more fruit, more peace, more joy, and more victory?

All I can tell you is that for me…it is a daily struggle…and right now I am holding on to the verse in John 16:33 to take heart! He has overcome….