Embracing Abundant Life Through Transformation and Service

Devotional

Day 1: Jesus is the Door to Abundant Life

Jesus declares Himself as the door, the only way to salvation and the source of true, abundant life. He is not just a good teacher or a prophet, but the fulfillment of all the promises of God, the great "I AM" who offers eternal life to all who enter through Him. This abundant life is not about material prosperity or an easy path, but about a life filled with eternal value, supernatural power, freedom, victory, and liberty. The invitation is open to everyone: to step through the door, to know the Good Shepherd, and to experience a life that is full and overflowing with the presence and purpose of God. [28:21]

John 10:9-10 (NKJV)
"I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you have been seeking fulfillment apart from Jesus? Will you bring it to Him today and ask Him to lead you into His abundant life?

Day 2: The Enemy Seeks to Steal, But Christ Brings Freedom

There is a real spiritual battle for your life. The enemy, Satan, comes only to steal, kill, and destroy, seeking to keep you in captivity, mediocrity, and apathy. But Jesus has come to set you free, to give you victory and liberty as your birthright as a believer. The abundant life is not reserved for a spiritual elite, but is meant to be the normal experience for every follower of Christ. Each day, you are invited to take back ground the enemy has stolen, to reject the lies that keep you bound, and to walk in the freedom and triumph that Jesus has already won for you. [30:33]

1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV)
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."

Reflection: Where do you sense the enemy has stolen joy, peace, or purpose from your life? What step can you take today to reclaim that ground in Christ’s name?

Day 3: Treasure What God Treasures

God’s heart is for people—the lost, the hurting, the overlooked, and the broken. He treasures every soul, every child, every family, and every person who finds hope and healing through the gospel. When you begin to treasure what God treasures, your value system shifts from the temporary to the eternal. The true abundant life is found not in what you accumulate, but in aligning your heart with God’s heart, investing in what matters most to Him, and pouring your life into the things that last forever. [43:53]

Matthew 6:19-21 (NKJV)
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Reflection: What is one way you can invest your time, resources, or love into something or someone God treasures this week?

Day 4: Life Change Happens When Faith is Put in Motion

Transformation does not come from simply attending church or hearing sermons; it comes when you put your faith into action. Growth is a process, and every next step you take in obedience—whether in evangelism, discipleship, community, serving, worship, or generosity—sets off a chain reaction that leads to a new destination. God wants to do something new in you, not just through you. As you commit to taking your next step, trust that God will bring about real life change, both in your heart and in the world around you. [21:35]

James 2:17 (NKJV)
"Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."

Reflection: What is one specific next step of faith you sense God calling you to take in this season? How will you act on it this week?

Day 5: Revival Begins with Undivided Attention to God

In an age of distraction, God is calling you to give Him your undivided attention. Revival and spiritual awakening begin when you allow God to work in you, to redefine your values, and to stir your heart for what matters most. The abundant life is not about outward success or traditional scoreboards, but about lives being changed, hearts being healed, and people being set free. Will you let God do something new in you? Will you open your heart to His voice and let Him lead you into a deeper, more abundant life? [22:40]

Psalm 46:10 (NKJV)
"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"

Reflection: What distractions do you need to set aside to give God your full attention this week? How can you create space to listen for His voice and respond?

Sermon Summary

As we embark on this new season together, the invitation is to journey into the abundant life that Jesus promised in John 10:10—a life marked not by material prosperity or ease, but by eternal value, supernatural power, freedom, and victory. Looking back over the past 25 years, it’s clear that God has done remarkable things among us, but the conviction is strong that our best days are still ahead. This is not about celebrating our own achievements, but about recognizing God’s faithfulness and preparing our hearts for what He wants to do both through us and, more importantly, in us.

The next two years are being shaped by three key areas: Church Life, Eternal Life, and Compassionate Life. Church Life is about the ongoing discipleship and growth happening week in and week out—children, students, young adults, and families being transformed by the gospel. Eternal Life focuses on multiplication: launching new campuses, church houses, and sending missionaries to places where the gospel is desperately needed. Compassionate Life is about reflecting the heart of Jesus for the least of these—serving the underserved, investing in foster care, and ministering to those with special needs.

Yet, the true measure of success is not found in attendance numbers or financial giving, but in transformed lives. The call is to take inventory of our hearts, to examine what we truly treasure, and to align our values with God’s. The abundant life is not achieved by what we do for God, but by what God does in us as we surrender and allow Him to redefine our priorities. This is a call to action: to put faith in motion, to step into generosity, service, and community, and to pursue what matters for eternity.

In a world full of distractions, the challenge is to give God our undivided attention, trusting that as we do, He will bring about revival and spiritual awakening—starting in our own hearts and rippling out to our city, our nation, and the world. The next five weeks are a crucial time to listen, respond, and let God do something new in each of us.

Key Takeaways

1. The abundant life Jesus offers is not about material wealth or comfort, but about living with eternal purpose, supernatural freedom, and victory over the enemy’s schemes. True abundance is found in a life surrendered to Christ, where His power and presence redefine what it means to truly live. [33:14]
2. God’s scoreboard is not measured by attendance or offerings, but by transformed lives. The real question is not how many people are in the building, but whether hearts are being changed, captives are being set free, and people are stepping into their God-given destinies. [38:45]
3. The enemy’s strategy is to steal, kill, and destroy by luring us into apathy, complacency, and captivity through counterfeit values and idols. Every day, we must reclaim the ground in our lives that belongs to God, refusing to settle for mediocrity and instead pursuing the freedom Christ has secured for us. [34:25]
4. Living the abundant life begins when our value system shifts from the temporal to the eternal. When what God treasures becomes what we treasure—people, redemption, and the advancement of the gospel—our hearts are set free from idols, and we begin to experience the fullness of life Jesus promised. [37:01]
5. Generosity is not just about funding initiatives, but about investing in eternity and aligning our hearts with God’s mission. As we prayerfully consider our next steps, we are invited to turn our resources into destinies, trusting that God will use our obedience to impact lives for generations to come. [26:10]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[10:09] - Discipleship Guide Distribution
[11:30] - Reflecting on 25 Years of God’s Faithfulness
[13:01] - Understanding Church Life
[14:10] - Vision for Multiplication: Eternal Life
[15:16] - The Church House Movement
[16:48] - Launching Prison Campus and Global Missions
[18:12] - Compassionate Life: Serving the Least of These
[19:36] - Foster Care and Special Needs Ministry
[21:05] - The Call to Next Steps and Core Values
[23:18] - Beyond Capital Campaigns: A New Kind of Generosity
[26:39] - Investing in Eternity: Dollars to Destinies
[26:54] - John 10: The Door to Abundant Life
[29:27] - The Enemy’s Plan vs. God’s Plan
[32:58] - What Abundant Life Really Means
[34:40] - Taking Back Stolen Ground
[36:19] - Inventory of the Heart: What Do You Treasure?
[40:11] - Where Your Treasure Is, There Your Heart Will Be
[42:07] - God’s Treasure: People, Not Buildings
[44:20] - Multiplication and the Heart of God

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

John 10:9-10 — “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

- Matthew 6:19-21
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

- 2 Corinthians 2:14 & 3:17
“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession…”
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

Observation Questions

In John 10:10, what does Jesus say is the purpose of the thief, and what is His own purpose for coming?
According to the sermon, what are the three key areas shaping the next two years of the church’s vision? ([13:01])
In Matthew 6:21, what does Jesus say about the relationship between our treasure and our heart?
What examples did the pastor give of “abundant life” not being about material prosperity or comfort? ([32:03])

Interpretation Questions

The sermon says the “abundant life” is not about material wealth, but about eternal value, supernatural power, freedom, and victory. How does this understanding challenge common ideas about what it means to be “blessed”? ([33:14])
The pastor described the enemy’s strategy as luring us into apathy, complacency, and captivity through counterfeit values and idols. What might some of these “counterfeit values” look like in our lives today? ([34:25])
The real scoreboard, according to the sermon, is not attendance or giving, but transformed lives. What are some signs that a life is being transformed by Jesus? ([38:45])
When Jesus says, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” what does that reveal about the connection between our priorities and our spiritual health? ([40:11])

Application Questions

The pastor challenged everyone to take inventory of their hearts and examine what they truly treasure. What is one thing you currently treasure that might be competing with God for your attention? How can you begin to shift your focus toward what God treasures? ([36:19])
The sermon described “abundant life” as a life of supernatural freedom and victory. Is there an area in your life where you feel stuck in apathy, complacency, or even captivity? What would it look like to reclaim that ground for God? ([34:25])
The church’s vision includes “Compassionate Life”—serving the underserved, investing in foster care, and ministering to those with special needs. Is there a specific way you feel called to step into compassion or service in this season? ([19:36])
The pastor said that generosity is about investing in eternity, not just funding initiatives. What is one practical step you can take to align your resources (time, money, talents) with God’s mission? ([26:10])
In a world full of distractions, the challenge is to give God our undivided attention. What is one distraction you need to set aside in the next five weeks to make space for God to work in you? ([22:40])
The sermon called for everyone to put faith in motion and take a next step in all six core values of the church. Which core value (evangelism, discipleship, community, serving, worship, generosity) do you sense God prompting you to grow in most right now? ([21:05])
The pastor shared that the abundant life is not achieved by what we do for God, but by what God does in us as we surrender. What is one area where you need to surrender control and trust God to work in you? ([36:04])

Sermon Clips

I'm convinced if we will put our faith in motion God will bring about transformation see life change never happens when we just come sit and listen life change always happens when we put our faith in action we make the decision it sets off a chain reaction that takes us to a new destination and I want you to know it's a process growth is a process that's why there's a 2-year discipleship journey. [00:21:21]

The Abundant Life is never fail found in what you do for God is found only in what God does in you see it's not our work for him but rather his work in you this is what I'm asking you to do would you let for the next five weeks God begin to work in you giving him your undivided attention for the next five weeks no more distraction that you can really begin to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd. [00:35:57]

When the things that God Treasures becomes the things that you treasure that's when you start living in the Abundant Life and church I'm convinced listen the old scoreboard is not what matters when I look at our church if you use the traditional scoreboard of church like we are winning we are succeeding when I say scoreboard uh what's the traditional scoreboard of American churchianity. [00:36:56]

Life change never happens when we just come sit and listen life change always happens when we put our faith in action we make the decision it sets off a chain reaction that takes us to a new destination and I want you to know it's a process growth is a process that's why there's a 2-year discipleship journey and I'm convinced that if we will all take one next step at least one next step and all six of these core values of our church all of our lives are going to change none of them can stay the same that's my hope. [00:21:28]

The gospel doesn't run from hard things it runs to hard things so I'm praying for 200 families that will that will step forward and you're going to have to do it alone we're going to prepare you we're going to help you we're going to people around you to support you but that's part of compassionate life and I want you to know where we're going these initiatives for the next two years. [00:20:36]

Jesus taught about the least of these how we treat the least of these is reflection of whether we really have the heart of God and so there's some things we want to do just drein with me a moment as a part of compassionate life in the next two years I would love to be able to buy a building in the heart of our city somewhere in the urban core of Kansas City a place where it feels like there is no hope and imagine this bringing hope to a part of our city where it feels like there is no hope. [00:18:20]

The thief th does not come except to steal and to kill and destroy I have come they may have life that they may have it more abundantly now 25 years ago as God was calling me to preach and Pastor uh this was a very formative passage in my life I'll share why very shortly like I was taking a deep dive in John chapter 10 this is the chapter Jesus reveals I am the Good Shepherd. [00:28:25]

What God deeply Treasures are the thousands and thousands of lives that are cped every single week through Abundant Life both locally and globally what God deeply Treasures are those hundreds and hundreds of kids that are ministered to through Abundant Life kids that's what's in here what God deeply Treasures are those hundreds and hundreds of students that are being ministered to weekly through Fusion student Ministry. [00:43:13]

The Abundant Life is a life of Eternal value with Supernatural power Freedom Victory and Liberty Supernatural power Victory freedom and liberty think about the adjectives the New Testament uses that describes what ought to be the normal Christian Life I'm not talking the abnormal Christian Life for just a spiritual Elite just a spiritual few you know the superstars for Jesus no it ought to be normal of everybody. [00:33:07]

You start to live truly the Abundant Life when God begins to change your value system in life like naturally we're focused on the temporal we're focused on the material we are naturally focused on the things of this world instead of things that last forever when God begins to change your value system when the things that God Treasures becomes the things that you treasure that's when you start living in the Abundant Life. [00:36:50]

If we are successful in this aife discipleship Journey more people than ever are going to find Jesus not just locally but globally I'm talking thousands and thousands and thousands of people in the next two years are going to be impacted by the gospel and not just in the next 2 years but for generations and generations and generations to come more marriages than ever are going to be healed more Hearts than ever are going to be healed. [00:35:12]

Satan steals from us when he gets us to replace in our life something other than Jesus that's what an idol is something we serve more than we do Jesus something we sacrifice more than we do Jesus something we love more than we do Jesus that's the nature of an idol and our hearts are Idol factories so I want you be in taking inventory because those Idols Must Fall if we're going to live life abundant. [00:41:20]

We're not trying to build a bigger crowd no we're trying to build a church we're not trying to be bigger we're just trying to be biblical we're just trying to read what the Bible says and do what it says amen it's the play Jesus gave us to run what else is in here it's a church house movement all over North America that represents hundreds and hundreds today and thousands of people in the future more more people are going to find faith in Jesus and grow in their faith in Jesus. [00:45:20]

Jesus came to give us more than a full life he came to give us life abundantly but what does that even mean listen I've said recently A lot of people have lashed on this verse with a counterfeit Theology and a a false gospel like the you know teaching come to Jesus and you'll be rich thin Healthy and Wealthy and it's all about material prosperity and no that's not at all what Jesus was teaching. [00:31:49]

You might put put guns in a safe you might put money in a safe you might put jewelry in a safe whatever you deeply value whatever you deeply treasure you lock in one of these now the safe represents our hearts uh what we treasure we keep in our hearts what we deeply value is in our hearts I want you to take an inventory of your heart what's in your heart what do you value what that means is this is more than a safe this is a box of treasure it's like a treasure chest you're heart is a treasure chest. [00:42:08]

So if you're living in spiritual apathy or mediocrity or complacency the way you break free from that apathy mediocrity and complacency is you choose to begin pursuing the Eternal instead of the temporal you start to actually value what God values and what God values above all others is people the Redemption of men and women when that becomes your treasure you'll start to live life abundantly a life of Supernatural power. [00:40:40]

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