“Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God;”
I Thessalonians 4:1 NKJV
Paul’s words in 1 Thessalonians 4 really hit because he’s not talking to new believers, he’s talking to people who are already walking with God. He’s basically saying, “Don’t get comfortable.” When he says to “abound more and more,” he’s calling us higher, not just to maintain our faith but to grow past where we are. Like Pastor Rich said during yesterday’s pre-service, the real question is, what actually pleases God? And according to Paul, it’s not doing the bare minimum—it’s overflow. It’s seeking His presence more and more, getting into His Word more and more, praying and crying out to Him more and more. That word “abound” in the Greek literally means to overflow and go beyond what’s expected, and that’s what stood out to me. Pleasing God isn’t about checking boxes; it’s about a life that keeps leaning further into Him. We’re not called to stand still—we’re called to keep growing, keep pressing, more and more.