Tag: inheritance
Steadfast love brings reward!
Scripture reading for March 10th: Hebrews 6, Psalm 50, Proverbs 19
Hebrews 6: 9-12 “Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things–things that belong to salvation. For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for His Name in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
The writer of Hebrews had issued a warning against those who fall away in the early verses of this passage. But he was encouraging in this passage that commended the believers for their continuing work on behalf of the saints and their steadfast love. He encouraged them to follow the path of the patriarchs of the faith like Abraham, who through faith and patience inherited the promises of God for fruitfulness and blessing. Like Abraham, they may have to go through times of testing when the promises looked out of reach. But through steadfast love in covenant with God, God always comes through and brings glory to Himself by blessing HIs people and fulfilling HIs Word.
Psalm 50:14-15 “Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High, and call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you and you shall glorify Me.”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for all Your faithfulness to those who have gone before me. Your divine and precious promises have proven true again and again in my life. Help me to continue in the works You have prepared for me with steadfastness and faithfulness to the covenant of love You have made with me through Jesus Christ. I want to inherit all Your promises and lead my family and others to their reward!
Proverbs 19:22-23 “What is desired in a man is steadfast love, and a poor man is better than a liar. The fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied, he will not be visited by harm.”
Don’t lose heart!
Scripture reading for April 5th: Joshua 18-21, Psalm 15, Luke 18
Luke 18:1-8 “And He told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’ And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to His elect, who cry to him day and night? Will He delay long over them? I tell you, He will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?””
Many times in our world it looks like the ‘bad guys’ always win. The circumstances of life are stacked against us. We look for an advocate, but they are few and far between. The woman in this parable of Jesus’ may have felt that way, but her faith caused her to appeal to the ‘unjust’ judge. She did this again and again and got his attention. The ‘unjust’ judge finally granted her justice just to get some peace. Now Jesus turned this parable around for us. God is not ‘unjust’ but the all-powerful Just and True Judge. We have been given access through prayer to His throne. Like the woman, we should be crying out day and night in faith, not fainting under the load of fear or trouble. Jesus promises a speedy answer! Why not believe Him and begin asking in faith?
Psalm 15:1-2 “O Lord, who shall sojourn in Your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart; . .”
Prayer: Father God, the times we live in are filled with injustice and Your people are often mistreated. Give us more grace to pray instead of fainting. Help us to live by faith, despite hostile circumstances and persecution. We desire a ‘full inheritance’ and want to be found with faith when You return.
Joshua 19:49-50 “When they had finished distributing the several territories of the land as inheritances, the people of Israel gave an inheritance among them to Joshua the son of Nun. By command of the Lord they gave him Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim. And he rebuilt the city and settled in it.”
God’s extravagant grace!
Scripture reading for May 24th: Ephesians 1
Key Scriptures: Ephesians 1:7-11 “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight, making known to us the mystery of His will, according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him Who works all things according to the counsel of His will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of His glory.”
God does all things extravagantly because He is loaded with riches! He doesn’t lack anything. He needs nothing. He has an abundant supply of everything that His children might need and is a loving Father Who provides. Paul states that our redemption through Christ’s blood came from the riches of God’s grace. He has all wisdom and insight and He lavishes that upon us unmerited favor as the way all can be saved by simple faith in His Son. He reveals to us the mystery of His will to unite as one in Christ and in the fullness of time to bring all things together in heaven and earth. Through Christ He lavishes upon His children an inheritance that will be to the eternal praise of God’s glory! Amen!
Ephesians 1:16-17 “I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,”
Faith confession and prayer: Thank You Father God and Lord Jesus for our amazing and lavish inheritance and gifts through Your love and mercy in taking our place on Calvary’s cross. Grant me a fresh infilling of the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Jesus Christ that I might be conformed to His image and share the Good News of Your lavish riches found in Jesus Christ and His shed blood.
Colossians 2:2-3 “. .that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in who are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
A beautiful inheritance!
Scripture reading for May 19th: Galatians 4
Key Scriptures: Galatians 4:1-6 “I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of this world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
Paul used a natural analogy of a family in his culture. Children were eventually going to be heirs of their father and mother, but when they were young and underage, they were like slaves in that they had no access to their inheritance but were under the control of their parents or the appointed guardians until the date set to receive the inheritance. Likewise, we are like slaves before we are born again. We are in bondage to the elemental principles of this world and under the curse of the law. But at the right time, God our Father sent His only Son born under the law, to redeem us who were under the law. We were given the Holy Spirit of Jesus, the Spirit of adoption, to be confirmed a son and joint heir of Jesus. In the fullness of time, we will enter our full inheritance in eternal life! Amen!
Galatians 4:7 “So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.”
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for redeeming me from slavery to sin and sending the Holy Spirit of adoption into my heart. I await with patience and anticipation the full inheritance You have promised! Help me to share this beautiful inheritance with all I meet. Come, Lord Jesus!
Psalm 16:5-6 “The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; You hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.”
Fully convinced!
Scripture reading for February 12th: Romans 4
Key Scriptures: Romans 4:19-24 “He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what He had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in Him Who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, Who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”
Paul used the father of faith, Abraham as a teaching point on justification by faith alone. Abraham was counted righteous when he believed God’s promise of offspring and inheritance despite the condition of his body or Sarah’s womb. This was 430 years before the giving of the Law and before circumcision. Abraham simply believed that God was able to fulfil His promise no matter what he thought or his physical condition. Because of his faith, God gifted him ‘righteousness’. This was written down for the Jews and for Gentiles of every age. Through faith alone by grace alone we are justified–made just before God. We should be fully convinced that God will do what He has promised for He is totally faithful. We have an inheritance awaiting us!
Romans 4:13 “For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.”
Faith confession and prayer: Lord, thank You for saving Jew and Gentile by faith and giving all promise of eternal inheritance in Your family! I am fully convinced You are faithful to Your promises and will share the Good News today with others! Grant me open doors and grace!
Genesis 15:5-6 “And He brought him outside and said, “look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then He said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” And he believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness.”
The world hates Jesus!
Scripture reading for November 11th: Ezekiel 43-45; Psalm 135; John 15
Key Scriptures: John 15:18-21 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the Word that I said to you: “A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My Word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of My Name, because they do not know Him who sent Me.”
The world as it is used here refers to the mass of unredeemed humanity under the darkness of sin and the world system of Babylon. Those who are still a captive of sin and Satan have a hatred for Jesus and those who follow Him. The world loves its own but despises disciples of Jesus and the Lord Himself. Disciples have been chosen by Jesus to come out of the world and join the kingdom of heaven. They are grafted into Jesus Christ, the true Vine of Life. Disciples remember the Word of Jesus concerning the world’s hatred and live by faith, loving each other and those still caught in the trap of the devil. They want to see all men saved and know Jesus Christ.
Psalm 135:14 “For the Lord will vindicate His people and have compassion on His servants.”
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for Your precious Word and Your patient endurance of suffering and persecution by those still under this world system. Your goodness has lead me and others to repentance and my eternal inheritance, Jesus Christ forever and ever.
Ezekiel 44:28 “This shall be their inheritance: I am their inheritance: and you shall give them no possession in Israel; I am their possession.”
Sheep on the right please!
Scripture reading for August 19th: Micah 5-7, Matthew 25
Key Scriptures: Matthew 25:31-34 “”When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And He will place the sheep on His right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.'”
Jesus concluded His final message before His suffering with a parable of sheep and goats. He told how people of the nations would come before His glorious throne and be separated in judgment. The ‘sheep’ would have a place on His right hand, but the goats would be placed on the left. The ‘sheep’ would enter into their full inheritance, prepared from the world’s foundation. The ‘goats’ would be sent to eternal damnation in the lake of fire. This final judgment will be based on response of faith to follow Jesus as their ‘Good Shepherd’.
Faith confession and prayer: Jesus, Your throne is glorious and You are King of Kings! You see the hearts of all men and are full of mercy. Help me to follow You like a dependent ‘sheep’ follows the shepherd.
Micah 6:8 “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.”
Inheritance through adoption!
Scripture reading for January 28th: Genesis 47-48, Galatians 3, Psalm 25
Key Scriptures: Genesis 47:15-16 “And he (Jacob) blessed Joseph and said, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my Shepherd all my life long to this day, the Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys; and in them let my name be carried on, and the name of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”
Galatians 3:26-28 “. . .for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.”
Jacob had come to Egypt to be with his children. Upon seeing Joseph, whom he thought had been killed, he wept and was even more blessed to see the children that Joseph had produced. As Jacob blessed the two boys of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, he adopted them as his own. As such they would have Abraham and Isaac as their fathers and be in line for inheritance–a double portion! The Apostle Paul stated to the Galatians that in Christ Jesus–offspring of Abraham and King David, we who believe become “Abraham’s offspring” and heirs according to promise! Not by works but through faith this is so! Amen!
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for Your heavenly blessing of my life through the gift of the Holy Spirit! I am privileged to become “Abraham’s offspring” by faith and receive the promise of eternal inheritance!
Psalm 25:21 “May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for You.”
Rejoicing in our inheritance!
Scripture reading for November 7th: 1st Peter 1, Psalms 73-74, Proverbs 7
Key Scriptures: 1st Peter 1:3-7 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this your rejoice, through now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith–more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire–may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Peter begins his letter to the church with rejoicing in Jesus and joy at believers ‘new birth’! This new life is brought about by faith and is laid hold of by faith. Faith must be proved genuine and is often tested by trials and temptations here on earth. Genuine faith will result in “glory, honor and praise” at the return of Jesus Christ for His Church! We will be caught up in His glory forever!
Faith Confession: I have been born again into a living hope through faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I rejoice in the coming inheritance I will receive, at the revelation of Jesus Christ when He comes for me and all His people of faith.
Psalm 73:24 “You guide me with Your counsel, and afterward You will receive me to glory.”
Paul’s prayer for our wisdom!
Scripture reading for August 23rd: Psalm 118-121, Ephesians 1
Key Scriptures: Ephesians 1:16-20 “I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which He has called you, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His great might, that He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places.”
After Paul’s glorious introduction in his letter to the Ephesians, he thanks God for the believers and prays for understanding of God’s amazing power exhibited through Christ’s resurrection from the dead and His seating at the Father’s right hand. This understanding would come through the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 119:104-105 “Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
Prayer: Lord, thank You for Your body, the Church. Fill us again with the Spirit of wisdom and understanding and guide us in Your ways through Your unchanging Word. Amen.