A GREAT INHERITANCE
1 Peter 1:3–5
Praise be to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade-kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed the last time.
I love guns... to me they are like a fine piece of art. They are something to be held and appreciated. Some people, if they could afford it would cover their walls with fine art from around the world... me, I would cover my walls firearms and taxidermy. I wouldn't cover the walls with just any guns, no, my walls would be covered with family guns. I have gotten several of my father's and his father's, guns over the years and I cherish each of them.
When my dad passed away several years ago, my brothers and I sat and looked at the list of my dad's guns and split them up. These guns were special to each of us in different ways. We each ended up with some of the guns, but none of us paid for the guns... they were an inheritance. If we had paid for them they would have been a wage, not an in inheritance. They are special to me and I hope that someday they will be special to my children and their children after them.
When we think about an inheritance, we often think about what you will receive on earth; money, house, family heirlooms etc... If you have been blessed with much because of the family you were born into, praise God and use what you have received for His glory. I did not expect to receive any grand inheritance of money from my parents, but that's ok, I received a far greater inheritance from them when they instilled in me a love and fear of God. Psalms 61:5 says it like this, "You have given me a heritage of those who fear your name".
I thank God that I was born into a family where my mom and dad loved God, loved me, and led me to a personal faith in Christ. They gave me physical birth, and introduced me to God, who gave me new eternal birth.
George Beverly Shea used to sing this song and it speaks to our eternal inheritance
My father is rich in houses and lands
He holdeth the wealth of the world in His hands!
Of rubies and diamonds, of silver and gold,
His coffers are full, He has riches untold.
I'm a child of the King,
A child of the King.
With Jesus my Savior,
I'm a child of the King.
I may not have much to leave to my children and grandchildren when I go... but I hope that I have left them something far more valuable than any "thing" that will be of no eternal value. They may lose, give away or sell what little I have to leave them when I'm gone, but what God gave them as an inheritance can never be lost or sold. When we've received it, it is eternal.
It all comes back to this living hope we have as children of God. We are rich! Our true inheritance... stored up for us in Heaven... is beyond anything I can imagine; it will never be exhausted, will never die, spoil or fade. Praise God, I'm a child of the King!
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This week's GODS GREAT OUTDOORS RADIO SHOW and THE TRAIL TO ADVENTURE PODCAST features some stream.trout fishing stories for brook and the "one that got away". Don't miss it
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