WHAT’S YOUR INHERITANCE?

Glass House. Do NOT
Throw Stones

Time with Jesus - Sunday, 02 June 2013

Hi all,

According to a brief look on Google, the population of the world is slightly more than 7 billion. I’m not exactly sure whether that is important or not. What I can say is that if one child is born every second of the day, it would take ±222 years for 7 billion to be born. 

Lots of Time
and People!

Now that’s a lot of time and people. All of these people require food and clothing. For the moment it’s not too serious a problem. But although population increases, the arable surface of the land doesn’t change appreciably. What is interesting about this is that God has told us that there will always be sufficient food available to for us all. As Christians we should ask the question, “Why is it that so many people die every year from hunger and malnutrition?” The answer is money!

The richer countries, where crops are grown, produce far more than they need for themselves. So they sell their surplus crops to other countries. But the poorer countries do not have the money to buy food for their starving masses. It’s a lose/lose situation. If the rich countries give their surplus away, where will they get the finance to enable them to continue to provide. Zimbabwe is an example of this. At one time, before Bob and his ZANU PF, the country was called the “Bread basket” of Africa. Since independence, food production in Zimbabwe has decreased. Now it is also has its hand out, waiting for other countries to give them food.

In this world, everything is controlled by money or the lack of it. To a large extent, this includes the Christian Church. The reason is that our churches, by and large, have become business ventures. Property owners, hiring staff, paying such things as rates, lights and water must come up with the “moola” to keep themselves going. (Not all churches are tax exempt) 

Moola - Money

Doesn’t God provide for them? I’m not sure He needs to. Skilled businessmen with a “gift of the gab” seem to be doing very well without His help. Some are extremely popular and live the life of “pop-stars” although they may claim God has provided for them.

The Golden Cow

Many Christians have confused the blessing of God with money. The comment is that God has provided. The church’s financial position indicates this. But that can be deception. The greatest “preacher” of the 20^th Century was Adolf Hitler! He had most of Continental Europe following him slavishly. He had everything behind him except God.

So, how do we cope with the scourge of wealth?What must we do to ensure that we are in the service of God and not in the service of the Golden Cow? I’m glad I don’t have the answer to this. If I had, I suppose I would have built myself a highly profitable ministry teaching others to do the same thing.

All we can do is pray and ask God to help us keep our eyes off the money and fixed on Him. Nothing else works.

Shalom,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Sunday, 02 June 2013			Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give
©	These devotionals are the intellectual property of Jim Strickland and copyright protected. You are welcome to copy and distribute them to anyone provided it is for non-commercial Christian purposes					©
	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 are heirs fighting over the inheritance! 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 can 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. Incidentally, you will find “generic” type wills in some of the bigger stationery shops. It won’t be exactly what you require, but will provide something basic for you to “flesh out” as required. One of our 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 / Nothing I desire compares with You. It encapsulates what our attitude toward the things of this world should be. It reminds me of the story of the rich Man who had a bit of a disagreement with the Lord. He said, “Lord, if I can’t take it with me, I don’t want to go! Bob Mumford made a similar comment. He said, “I know what it’s like to be rich. I know what it’s like to be poor. Believe me, rich is better!” In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus put the correct Christian attitude to being wealthy. 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 thousands 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! 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. In boarding school, pocket money (provided by parents) was handed out on Friday evenings. Most of it was spent in the Tuck Shop on Saturday. Today, you or I can spend money on ourselves or on others. We can promote Jesus Christ and the Gospel. If we do, we will have acquired something money can never buy; an eternal inheritance. If not, it’s wasted in our personal Tuck Shop! 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. I 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. His Word is always true. 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