DRAWING NEAR
January 16
Anticipating Your Inheritance
"In [Christ] also we have obtained an inheritance" (Eph. 1:10-11).
As a member of God's family, you have obtained a future inheritance
that has many present benefits.
An inheritance is something received by an heir as a result of a will
or legal process. It's a legacy one receives from family connections.
As a member of God's family, you are an heir of God and fellow heir
with Christ (Rom. 8:17).
Romans 8:16-17 (NKJV)
16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are
children of God,
17 and if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with
Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified
together.
As such you have obtained an inheritance that Peter called
"imperishable and undefiled . . . reserved in heaven for you" (1
Pet. 1:4). It cannot perish, fade away, or be defiled because heaven
is timeless and sinless. It is a secure inheritance.
In Ephesians 1:11 Paul refers to it in the past tense ("have
obtained"). That's significant because the fullness of your
inheritance won't be revealed until you are glorified in God's
presence (1 John 3:2).
1 John 3:2
Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed
what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be
like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
But your inheritance is so sure, Paul refers to it as if it was
already in hand.
Although its fullness is yet future, your inheritance has present
benefits as well. In addition to inheriting Christ and the Holy
Spirit, you also inherit peace, love, grace, wisdom, joy, victory,
strength, guidance, mercy, forgiveness, righteousness, discernment,
and every other spiritual benefit. Paul sums it all up in 1
Corinthians 3:22-23: "All things belong to you, and you belong to
Christ; and Christ belongs to God."
Nowadays many Christians are so preoccupied with acquiring material
goods that they miss many of the present benefits of their spiritual
inheritance and the joy of anticipating its future fulfillment.
Don't fall into that trap!
Looking forward to your eternal inheritance will help you maintain a
proper perspective on temporal things and motivate you to praise and
adore God.
Suggestions for Prayer:
1. Praise the Lord for the incredible inheritance that awaits you in
heaven. 2. Thank Him for the present benefits of your inheritance,
which are yours to enjoy daily.
For Further Study:
One precious aspect of your eternal inheritance is God's mercy. Psalm
136 reflects on the mercy God demonstrated toward Israel. Read that
psalm, noting the manifestations of mercy that relate to your life.
Drawing Near, Copyright 1993 John F. MacArthur, Jr.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
http://www.gty.org
~~~
Psalm 136 (NKJV)
1 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures
forever.
2 Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever.
3 Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures
forever:
4 To Him who alone does great wonders, For His mercy endures
forever;
5 To Him who by wisdom made the heavens, For His mercy endures
forever;
6 To Him who laid out the earth above the waters, For His mercy
endures forever;
7 To Him who made great lights, For His mercy endures forever;
8 The sun to rule by day, For His mercy endures forever;
9 The moon and stars to rule by night, For His mercy endures
forever.
10 To Him who struck Egypt in their firstborn, For His mercy endures
forever;
11 And brought out Israel from among them, For His mercy endures
forever;
12 With a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, For His mercy
endures forever;
13 To Him who divided the Red Sea in two, For His mercy endures
forever;
14 And made Israel pass through the midst of it, For His mercy
endures forever;
15 But overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, For His mercy
endures forever;
16 To Him who led His people through the wilderness, For His mercy
endures forever;
17 To Him who struck down great kings, For His mercy endures
forever;
18 And slew famous kings, For His mercy endures forever;
19 Sihon king of the Amorites, For His mercy endures forever;
20 And Og king of Bashan, For His mercy endures forever;
21 And gave their land as a heritage, For His mercy endures forever;
22 A heritage to Israel His servant, For His mercy endures forever.
23 Who remembered us in our lowly state, For His mercy endures
forever;
24 And rescued us from our enemies, For His mercy endures forever;
25 Who gives food to all flesh, For His mercy endures forever.
26 Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven! For His mercy endures
forever.
Thanks be to God for His forever-enduring mercy. The following
passage is brought to mind:
Colossians 3:
1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are
above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear
with Him in glory.
I want to be real in my Christian life. If I'm going to be real, I
have to live as if Heaven is real and my inheritance is real. A real
salvation will affect the way we live. In fact, those things are the
true reality; it is this present earth, this world, this system which
are fading away.
1 Corinthians 7:31
And those who use this world as not misusing it. For the form of this
world is passing away.
1 John 2:17
And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does
the will of God abides forever.
~~~
These devotions are posted with permission from John MacArthur's
first (1993) devotional work, _Drawing Near_, and they are also sent
out daily for free to several folks via e-mail.
In addition, John's second (1997) devotional, _Strength for Today_,
is also available free via e-mail only. _Strength for Today_ follows
the same format as what you have seen here from _Drawing Near_, but
with different monthly themes.
If you would like to receive daily devotions via e-mail from either
of these series, just let me know (via e-mail), and I will gladly add
you to the list(s) of your choice.
You can hear John MacArthur daily via the Internet by visiting:
http://www2.oneplace.com/Ministries/Grace_to_You/
and
http://www.gty.org.uk/
You may email John MacArthur in care of Grace to You at:
letters@gty.org
NOTE for those of you reading via newsgroups: If you wish to reach
me, please contact me via e-mail for quickest results.
In Christ,
Peter
Peter G. Chase :: Columbus, Ohio, USA
pchase1@wideopenwest.com
http://www.gty.org/Gospel/
http://www.nwbible.org/
To forgive is to set a prisoner free, and to discover that the prisoner was you. -Alistair Begg
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