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The Bible Provides Instructions for a Full Life

Matthew 5:21, 22| “You have heard that it was said…But I tell you.”

Have you ever been to the gas station to fill up your tank and realized you didn’t have enough money to fill it all the way? Maybe you only had $10, so you put the gas in your car, jumped back in and started it up, but as you watched the gauge only moved up to just over a quarter tank. Ugh. But hey, that’s what you could afford. You wanted a full tank, but you put in what you had. Of course we’d rather see our gauge on “full,” but that’s not always possible. So we settle for a quarter or a half tank.

Life is like that. We all want a full life. But many of us experience much less than a full life. In the passage above, Jesus gives us keys to a full life – and it looks difficult to achieve! He says things like, “You have heard it said, do not commit murder. But I tell you, do not be angry with your brother because that is committing murder in your heart.” The first statement is like putting $10 of gas in the tank. The second part is filling the tank to the top. The first part is having life. The second part is life to the full. Every time Jesus says, “You have heard it said…(fill in the blank)…But I tell you…(fill in the blank)” he is giving us the key to move from life to a full life.

Now here is the catch: We only have $10. We can do the first part on our own. The second part can only be done through the power of God in us. We can “not murder” by our will-power and strength. But we need God to help us not have anger towards our brother. We can “not commit adultery” by our choice, but we need God to give us the strength to guard our hearts.

The key to a full life is the power of God living in you to help you do what you cannot do on your own. God doesn’t raise the standard of a full life without providing the avenue to experience the full life. The full life comes when we live our lives though the power of His Holy Spirit in us.

Reflect:

• Are there things in your heart that you need the power of God to conquer? Is there lust that is growing? Is there anger that is simmering? Are there sinful thoughts that are brewing? When not arrested, these thoughts give birth to actions and destroy a full life.
• Take a few moments and ask God to “fill your tank.” Ask God to give you the strength to change you from the inside out. What are the areas of your life that you need God’s Holy Spirit to help you conquer so you can experience a full life?