abundance

to my 5.
if i could communicate anything to you over our next 3 years together it is this picture of God,
He who modeled for you how to pursue joy and righteousness,
He who is not primarily concerned with your happiness and comfort - though, yes, He says that these are good things! - but these are not the qualities that will develop your character and these will not equip you with the strength to walk victoriously through life's trials.
He is concerned with your deep and lasting growth, your holiness and humility, that you might know Him as richly as possible.
this world teaches (and will only do more so) that God's love means
that He is willing to accept unrepentant sin,
that He encourages men and women to satisfy every desire that stirs within them,
and that ultimately He will overlook every sin, every rejection of Him and allow all men access to joy in His presence for eternity.
know, dear ones, that God has spoken clearly (though not necessarily simply) in the Bible
that He cannot and will not tolerate any sin that is not both covered by the costly blood of Jesus and removed from daily life,
that joy is found when walking according to His desires alone,
and that the way to the Father is by faith alone, through grace alone, through Jesus alone, and that this relationship is made evident only by the fruit of a pure and transformed life.
be willing to sacrifice anything that does not make His name greater,
be willing to suffer the loss of any desire that doesn't purify you to become more like Jesus,
be willing to deny yourself any pleasure that only increases your appetite for the empty way of life that this world so liberally extends to you.
deny yourself, take up your cross, for the joy set before you.

refuse to settle for the muddy poisoning water when the pure, life-giving water is freely given to you. and with it abundant joy.

 

^"15 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. ¹⁶ For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.
¹⁹ This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live ²⁰ and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life,.."  [Deuteronomy 30]