The following is a short article taken from an earlier issue of MILK, when it was published at a different Web address. I hope that it will bless you now as much as it did those who read it before.

- Destin Mouser, Editor

     Jesus said in John 10:10, "The thief comes in order to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it more abundantly." In other words, He was telling us, "The devil only comes to take from you, but I want you to have and enjoy your life." He wants more than to just help us get by in life. The Bible says He wants us to have everything we need to succeed at living in peace. 3^rd John 1:2 states, "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers." He want the best for us!

     And, another, thing; God doesn’t just want us to just have enough faith to "make it"; He wants us to have enough faith to ask for Him to change our situations! Jesus encourages us in Matthew 7:7-11, "Ask, and it will be given to you, seek, and you will find. . . For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who seeks finds..." "Or who is there among you," Matthew 7:9, "that if his son asked for bread, would give him a stone? Or if he asked for fish, you’d give him a snake? If then you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in Heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him?" In John 14:13-14 Jesus says, "Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in my name, I’ll do it."

     We often look at the story of Passover and the Exodus as a picture for being saved. We see that just as the Hebrews were protected from death by the blood of a lamb, we are protected from eternal death by the blood of Jesus. And, just as the Hebrews were taken out of bondage, into the promised land, we are taken out of sin, into the Kingdom of God. But, if you will read the story of the Exodus, there is more to the symbolism portrayed here than just a picture of salvation. When the Hebrews came out of Egypt, they came out carrying all the gold and riches of the nation (Exodus 12:35-36), and the Bible says there weren’t any of them who were weak (Psalm 105:37)! This tells us when we come out of sin, we no longer deserve to live in poverty or sickness. Jesus want to save us from it all!

     Speaking of our Savior, the Bible says in Isaiah 53:4-5, "He was wounded for our transgression, He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed." Jesus was beaten and whipped, until there were stripes on His back, so that you could live in health and peace. So He clearly doesn’t want you to just survive. He wants you to thrive! So don’t be afraid to ask for more than "the strength to make it through each day."