I love being around happy people. A happy person is not weighed down by negative circumstances or people, because something or someone more important to him is bringing him a greater satisfaction and pleasure. Because of this overwhelming gladness, life is a pleasure for him, and this kind of person is a pleasure to be with. The steady state of happiness is called joy. People with joy in their hearts love being alive. They enjoy each day. Because their hearts are so content, they focus on the good in everything and let the bad go. They have big dreams for their life, and they encourage others to dream big as well. Their hearts are free, and as a result, they are energized and make a positive difference in the lives of so many others.

Did you know that the life I just described is the kind of life God intends for every human being?! Did you also know that Jesus declares that He is the One Who is the source for this kind of life that you will love living?! He says, I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly (John 10:10). The word abundantly has the idea of having more than enough. The kind of life that Jesus offers in Himself is a life that is so full that it is overflowing. It's a life full of freedom, purpose, and happiness, because it's a life that has been brought into a personal relationship with God. The Bible says, For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (I Timothy 2:5). Jesus can bring any sinful human being into a permanent relationship of love with God, because He paid the price for the sins of us all, when He shed His blood on the cross. Now, we can live our lives with God as our Father, just like He was to Jesus when He was on earth. The Bible says that when we accept by faith what Jesus did for us on the cross, we become sons of God, too! But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name (John 1:12). Now, we can experience the peace and security that God and all His promises bring. Life takes on so much more meaning when God becomes YOUR Father. With God truly on your side now, because of the salvation Jesus purchased for you on the cross, what could you possibly face in life that you can't handle? With God for you, does it really matter what human being is against you? Now that God loves you, and nothing can separate you from that love, does it matter as much that another human being may hate you? With God guiding you, and promising you that He is going to make every single circumstance in your life result in something good, should you feel hopeless? With God's promise to meet your every need, should you worry? Now, you have before you an exciting life filled with seeing God do amazing things on your behalf. Now that Jesus' blood has purchased for you eternal forgiveness and a place in heaven, you can endure the difficult times here in your short stay on earth, because you eagerly anticipate the reception that awaits you in heaven, where you will be truly home. With God's power supporting you, now you can reject temptations that you never used to be able to defeat, because you have His strength. Can't you see how all the benefits of a loving relationship with God make a person's life and his enjoyment of it so much greater?!

Here is the important question...do you believe what Jesus said in John 10:10? Many people don't. They look at Jesus and His promise as unreal. So, they continue on in their focused pursuit of things, relationships, and circumstances, thinking that they can create an abundant life on their own.

In the Old Testament God proclaims, For my people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water (Jeremiah 2:13). Here, God compares Himself to an unending, overflowing fountain of refreshment and satisfaction. But, although He is this, His people have abandoned Him for wells of water that have holes in them. These are wells that bring temporary satisfaction, but eventually run dry. Do you know that there are even many born again Christians who are currently forsaking God to pursue what this world offers as the sources of joy instead? Even though they are God's children and should know better, they, too, are trusting that things, relationships or circumstances will bring them an abundant life.

Here on the streets of Providence, I meet people almost every day whose lives have been reduced to nothing but sorrow, purposelessness, and regret, because the pleasures they pursued – alcohol, drugs, immorality – have left them with nothing. They have no family, no home, no money. They are down to simply trying to stay alive. They have been reduced to begging. Sadly, even though these empty wells which can never satisfy have brought them so low, most of these people are still pursuing these pleasures which have destroyed them. This is not the life God intended for them. As sad as it is to see people like this, how sad and disappointing must it be to God to see those who are His children, as a result of their being born into His family through faith in Jesus, pursuing these same or other ultimately unsatisfying pleasures instead of Him? The truth is, if any of us – born again Christian or non-Christian – wants to pursue this ruinous course, he has to suppress thoughts of God in his heart to do so. The born again Christian has a love relationship with God that cannot be denied. The non- Christian has the witness of God in his conscience condemning his life of disobedience. In order to pursue these deceitful lusts, both must go to great lengths to ignore the inner pleadings of God who is displeased with the way he is living. Unless the born again Christian comes to his senses, repents of his sin, and returns to his Father, he is going to throw away the abundant life on earth Jesus paid such a high price to give him. As for the non-Christian, if he refuses to repent and receive the new life Jesus made available to him on the cross, the Bible plainly states, And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15).

Born again Christian, do you want to live the abundant life? Pursue Jesus in the Bible. Jesus says, These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy made be made full (John 15:11). Non-Christian, did you know that you must become a born again Christian, if you want to go to heaven?! Jesus says, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3). If you want to be born again, turn from your sin against God, and put your trust in Jesus alone – not along with the church and the sacraments, or any other prophet – as your Savior. The Bible says, Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13). When this happens, you will be a Christian. He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy... (Titus 3:5). And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12).

God's greatness, power, and love are the source of a human being's true joy, and resultant abundant life. When a person comes to know God personally through faith in Jesus, he can now experience God in his life like never before. Knowing and enjoying God totally changes a person's life. It is this relationship that brings him overwhelming gladness, and enables him to love life. Do you love life? You will, when you get to know God personally through faith in Jesus.