WHAT’S YOUR INHERITANCE?

Time with Jesus - Saturday, 02 June 2012

Hi all,

The Psalmist, in this case David, tells us, the Lord is his inheritance. Our meditation is about inheritance.

Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Saturday, 02 June 2012			Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give
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	INTRODUCTION		DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	WHAT’S YOUR INHERITANCE?
English expressions can be accurate and amusing. “People who live in glass houses should not throw stones”. For me this conjures up visions of someone living in a greenhouse and throwing stones at his neighbour! Ok, it sounds ludicrous. But the expression must have originated somewhere! Another is, “Where there’s a will there’s a way”.  This has been modified to read, “Where there’s a will there’s inheritors! One wonders what Hollywood or the TV program makers would do if they didn’t have a greedy relative trying desperately to get his hands on the fortune left to someone else. The story is more or less stereotype. At this point please do yourself a favour and make sure you have made a “Last Will and Testament” If you leave it too late it will be too late. Incidentally it’s never too soon for an adult to compile a will. If Jesus tarries, be assured that you are going to die. I’d like to guarantee it. But I may go before you!. The other important thing is to finalise the beneficiaries on your insurance policies. You may have nominated great aunt Suzie. But if she goes before you, the insurance company will have a nightmare trying to get things sorted. One of my favourite choruses is Lord You are. Lord, You are more precious than silver; Lord, You are more costly than gold; Lord, You are more beautiful than diamonds; And nothing I desire compares with You It encapsulates what our attitude toward the things of this world should be. In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus put it succinctly: 36 What good is it for you to gain the whole world, yet forfeit your soul? 37 Or what can you give in exchange for your soul? Mark 8:36-37 TNIV How do we answer such a question? Our answer reveals our priorities! It’s an interesting observation that money and wealth are neutral. What is important is how we use what we have. We can spend thousands of Rand feeding the poor. We could use the same thousand Rand in the illegal drug trade. I’m sure Jesus would agree with my comment. He was never against money. His Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills! The question is, do you have money or does money have you? Only you can answer! It will be true if you rich or poor! So what do we do with an inheritance? You can spend it, or you can spend yourself using it. Spending money is easy. Watch a child with his pocket money. It will soon be gone. If you spend yourself for others and the promotion of Jesus Christ and the gospel, you will have acquired something money can never buy; an eternal inheritance. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			5 LORD, You alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine. 6 The land You have given me is a pleasant land. What a wonderful inheritance! Psalms 16:5-6 NLT 17 And since we are His children, we are His heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God's glory. But if we are to share His glory, we must also share His suffering. Romans 8:17 NLT 21 So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, 1 Corinthians 3:21 ESV 16 "My love belongs to me, and I belong to him. Like an antelope, he eats among the lilies. Song of Solomon 2:16 NIrV 20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Galatians 2:20 NASB 20 And the LORD said to Aaron, "You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the people of Israel. Numbers 18:20 ESV 25 As long as I have you, I don't need anyone else in heaven or on earth. 26 My body and mind may waste away, but God remains the foundation of my life and my inheritance forever. Psalms 73:25-26 GW 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalms 23:4 ESV 12 which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me. 2 Timothy 1:12 ESV A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. 1 O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. Psalms 63:1 ESV	I can’t forget my parents and how much they meant to me. You cannot put a value on a person’s family. We speak of astronomical and more than we can count. And now they have both passed away, I’d give any amount, To have a little chat with them, the way it used to be. My father and my mother, and little tiny me! But when I speak of “anything”, I don’t include my soul. That wouldn’t be God honouring, nor under His control. We know that God’s forbidden us from speaking with the dead. We have to go the Jesus and pray to him instead! So be aware I’m saying this quite sentimentally. It’s rather that I miss them and would like them here with me. Of know that this sounds selfish. But that’s not my intent. But just my way of saying, how much to me they meant. I know they had to leave me. I knew that they would die. They left me an inheritance, that fact I can’t deny. But that was only money and a little bit of land. They specified it in their will and so I understand, That they were quite determined that there would be no lack. But if it were just possible I’d love to give it back. Another thing to think about. Someday I too will go. And what my parents did for me, my family will know. But it is only earthly goods. It too will pass away. It may amount to billions, but on the judgement day, It won’t have any value. The silver and the gold, And all of our possessions can’t enter Jesus fold. But for those who love Jesus, the value of it all, Will surely be irrelevant, or infinitely small. You don’t need an inheritance if you are the high priest. God made it plain to Aaron. He didn’t need the least, Part of such an inheritance. He is the Lord Most High. And if He is your Saviour, you’ll surely never die! Of course, this mortal body will surely pass away. But He’ll give me another one when He comes back to stay. So let us tell the world about our Saviour, God and King. If they crucify you, it will not mean a thing. Let them cast your body into a pauper’s grave. They cannot touch your spirit. Jesus Christ will save, His people from destruction. No matter what they do, Jesus Christ has promised that He will be with you! He is your inheritance and He is worth far more, Than all this world can give you for an earthly treasure store. Jim Strickland – Written 2nd June 2012