Day Twenty Nine | Lent Devotional
Reading: Mark 4, Psalm 37:29
“The righteous shall inherit the land, And dwell in it forever.”
You have an inheritance. It is greater than anything you will ever receive from an earthly benefactor. You may never inherit anything from your relatives, but every believer in Jesus Christ is an heir of God. Paul said, “...Now if we are His children, then we are His heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ…” (Ro. 8:17). Our inheritance includes the assurance of our future place in the Father’s house - our heavenly home. Peter writes that we were born again ”to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you…”. (1Pe 1:4).
But there are many other blessings that God has laid up for us to enjoy in this life as well. Paul said, “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us…that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus…and if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Gal 3:13-14, 29). The blessing of Abraham includes every promise God has made in His Word. And those promises belong to us!
Think of it for a moment. The promises of the indwelling Holy Spirit, answered prayer, healing for our bodies, provision for our needs, deliverance from evil, and the right to use the Name of Jesus are all part of the inheritance that belongs to us today. These things are made available to us as citizens of the Kingdom of God, the moment we place our faith in Jesus.
In order to receive the benefits of an inheritance two things must be in place. First, the heir must be aware of its existence and familiar with its provisions. Second, an inheritance must be claimed. Actions must be taken practically and legally to possess an endowed estate. It can take time and effort to understand and take possession of things promised in a will. The will that spells out the benefits and conditions of our inheritance is God’s written Word. The Word of God is the will of God.
Unfortunately far too many believers go through life and only experience a small portion of the inheritance available to them. This is usually due to either ignorance of what belongs to them in Christ, or failure to boldly claim these benefits by faith. Satan takes advantage of our ignorance and fear of failure to keep us in bondage.
Over my 40 years of ministry I have had an experience that has been repeated hundreds of times. Often, when I finish teaching the Word someone will approach me and say something like this, “I have been a Christian and gone to church all my life. But I’ve never heard the things you are teaching before. If I had known these things years ago my life would have turned out differently…”. While this might seem to be a source of pride for me, it actually has a very different impact. I feel deeply sad. The only thing I do is teach what is already written in the Word of God.
But this does not have to be the case. If we will take the time to study and understand God's Word, we will discover the vast riches of our inheritance as children of God. We will find that every promise, every blessing, every provision has already been secured for us through the finished work of Christ. Our heavenly Father desires us to live in the fullness of our inheritance, to experience His abundant grace and favor in every aspect of our lives.
It’s not enough for us to merely know about our inheritance but also actively claim it. This requires faith – a confident assurance in the promises of God even when circumstances may seem contrary. Just as legal actions are required to possess an earthly inheritance, so too must we take actions to appropriate the blessings God has promised us. We must declare His Word over our lives, stand firm in faith, and refuse to be swayed by doubt or fear.
In your journal today, take a reflective inventory of your life, examining the various areas where you recognize the need for God's Word to be applied. Consider aspects such as relationships, career, health, finances, and growth. Identify any patterns of thought or behavior that may be inconsistent with the principles outlined in Scripture.
Acknowledge the areas where you feel a lack of understanding or clarity regarding God's Word. Perhaps there are passages or teachings that you struggle to grasp fully, or certain aspects of your faith that remain shrouded in uncertainty for you. Begin the pursuit of clarifying them.
During your prayer time today, recommit your way to His, and recognize your status as a child of God.
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