“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
Jesus says here that the enemy, the thief, comes to make our lives miserable. Stealing from us, killing, and destroying us, isn’t a blessing no matter how you look at it. Notice He says a thief does this.
God is not a thief and is not the author of stealing, killing, and destroying in our lives today. Jesus has come to give us an abundance of life. He gives us life to the fullest, life that overflows because of the plethora of it.
The Message Bible says: “A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.”
There is a simple little phrase I have learned to live by, and in so doing I make sense of all the twists and turns in my life. That phrase is: “Good God. Bad Devil.” Things from God are good and enjoyable and edifying.
If things are bad, negative, deflating, and destructive they are authored by the thief. Bad things don’t come from God. He simply doesn’t have any bad things to give us. God is good, all the time.
Jesus has come into my life to bring good things and abundance of life into my life.
- Reading Plan A: Revelation 18
- Reading Plan B: Revelation 19
- Reading Plan C: Zechariah 4-6; Revelation 18
by Tim Davidson
Excerpt permission granted by
Word of Faith Church & Outreach Center
Called to the Body of Christ as a pastor and teacher, Tim Davidson pioneered Word of Faith Church in Bismarck in 1980. He served as its Lead Pastor for 35 years and now serves as Founding Pastor. Pastor Tim has pioneered 6 churches in North Dakota and now serves as Regional Director for Rhema Ministerial Association International. Teaching believers foundational truths from God's Word is his passion.
He has authored 3 yearly devotion books that are used both here and overseas to help believers become "rooted and grounded" in their faith.
God is now calling Pastor Tim to share the treasury of wisdom and knowledge God has given to him with other pastors and churches.