Capturing the SUPERADDED Life

Do you remember back when you were a kid? You couldn't wait to grow up because you thought that you would be able to do so much more! I remember thinking adults have all the fun. No one tells them what to do, they don't have a bedtime and they can eat chocolate cake for breakfast anytime they want to. As kids there seems to be this huge life of more just out of reach, and I think as adults we often find ourselves still seeking the "more".

As a kid, I loved, loved, loved Jesus! I could't get enough of the Bible stories, and I would imagine myself in Hebrew times sitting at His feet as He gave the sermon on the mount. I would sing songs like "This little light of mine" and the "B-I-B-L-E" until I drove my mom bananas. But somewhere along the way that passion faded. I got sucked into worldly pleasures and I turned my back on the Jesus that I once adored.

For years I hid from Him, trying to run away from His voice, that was always there faintly calling to me, begging me to come home. I heard His voice and several times I turned around and started walking back towards Him, only to be overwhelmed by the guilt and the shame of the choices I had made. How could He love me now? I had strayed to far, I had hurt too many people, I was dirty, broken and unredeemable. So I just kept running, kept ignoring His voice.

Then my life hit rockbottom and there was no one there to pull me back up. I was alone, lost and defeated and the only place left to turn was to Jesus.

Jesus wants so much more for us. This idea of a SUPERADDED life can create all kinds of images in our heads. What does a SUPERADDED life look like? Lets be honest, when we turn to Jesus and ask Him to superadd to our lives, our first thoughts are "what do I have to subtract, what do I have to give up?". I really do want the life of abundance that is promised throughout the Bible, but what is the price of admission?

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". . . I just kept running, kept ignoring His voice."

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In John 10:10, Jesus says, " I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." (ESV) I'm not a huge fan of the MSG (Message) translation of the Bible but I like how this verse is written, "So they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of." Now, who doesn't want that?! A life better than we have ever dreamed of. Does that mean piles of money, big house and fancy cars? Maybe, but doubtful.

But it does mean that Jesus wants to SUPERADD the fruits of the spirit upon His beloved people. Superadded LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS and SELF-CONTROL.

Jesus wants to pile it on, running over, a huge slice of chocolate cake for breakfast SUPERADDED to our lives. More then we need, above and beyond what is necessary. Jesus' main purpose is was to give us this kind of life.

Can you imagine it? A life with more that you need, past all limitations. A life filled with more joy then you have ever dreamed of, immeasurable love, confidence that is overflowing, and a peace that only Jesus can give.

Jesus didn't come to limit our lives. Jesus came to give, teach and show us how to live lives of more.

Let's Pray:

Father God, Your word shows us over and over how you give your people lives of more, lives of abundance. God we want lives of more, we want to receive all the things that you have for us. God show us what it means to have the SUPERADDED life that you promise. Help us to allow you to work in our lives and to courageously face the subtractions so that you can SUPERADD. God give us an abundance of the fruits of the Spirit and help us to use those gifts to SUPERADD on the the lives of others. Amen.

Questions:

1. What do you think of when you hear the word "SUPERADDED"?

2. Why do you suppose we sometimes think of living for God as a life of subtraction, instead of addition?

3. What does it reveal to you or mean to you that Jesus came to give us a SUPERADDED life?

Please feel free to share your answers in the comments.

If you liked today's devotional please consider purchasing Hosanna Wong's book: SUPERADDED by clicking on the picture below.

*This devotional is based on the Hosanna Wong's book SUPERADDED; Chapter 1: Superadded Life