Experiencing Abundant Life by Relating with the Lord who is the Door of the Sheep

God has abundant life for you to live. Come see how.

The prophet, Joel, was speaking of Messiah when he proclaimed, “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered.” (Joel 2:32)

Messiah Yeshua-Jesus came as Lord proclaiming that He was the way to eternal salvation. So, He is the gateway—or door—of heaven.

“Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 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. (John 10:7-10)

RELEVANCE

This word was truly fulfilled at the moment of His death. It happened as the veil to the Holy Place in the Temple was ripped in two from top to bottom. (Matthew 27:51)  Therefore, the very entrance to the place representing the throne room of God, where access had been restricted, became open.

Paul expanded on what this truly meant for those placing their faith in the Lord. He explained, “through him and on the ground of our trust, we have gained access to this grace in which we stand.”  (Romans 5:2 JNT)

This grace is the fullness of the Lord’s salvation—eternal life with eternal access to God’s presence in heaven. It is also open access to God, “in earth as it is in heaven” while still on earth, through the presence of the Holy Spirit!  Paul explained, furthermore, how believers in the Lord follow after Him as true children of God bound for eternal life. He proclaimed, “the Messiah has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have died.”  (1 Corinthians 15:20 JNT)

The Lord came as a man to be the first fruit to ascend unto eternal life after substituting His sacrificial blood for the remission of sins. So no longer would animal sacrifices be acceptable to God. His love made a new way! As the first fruit of resurrection life, He opened the door to eternal life and the new life of the Spirit!  He lives eternally in heaven, as do those who have put their faith in Him and follow Him.

REFLECT AND RELATE

How do you access the grace of God daily?

With so many influences seeking your mind and heart, and so many events stirring your emotions, how do you discern which doors of opportunity to go through and the activities in which you should participate?

NEXT STEPS

The more you come to see and relate with the Lord’s identity as the Door of the Sheep, the more you can likewise see more fully and relate with His identity as the Good Shepherd.

Truly, God wants to be involved in your life. He wants you to identify with Him and grow in Him. He wants to bless you with His presence so you can experience His abundant life. He, therefore, wants you to bring Him into the equation of every aspect of your life. So as you engage with the Lord, the Holy Spirit speaks to your heart, bringing comfort, encouragement and wisdom. Our devotional, MyPathwaysDevotional, is designed to help you live life in the Lord. You will find topics covering many areas of life. Bring God into the equations of your life and be blessed!

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