Inheritance

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Enjoying Your Inheritance

Psalm 16:5

"The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot."

If I told you that you have a great inheritance coming to you, then you probably would be thrilled. Often we think of an inheritance as something that has been left to us after someone has passed away. However, the inheritance in the verse above is given to us while we are alive. Yet, the inheritance that this verse is talking about is the plight of life that God gives to us. Some would call it the heartaches of life, but God calls it your inheritance. All of us will have struggles that come our way, and when they come we must realize that this is our inheritance in life. When this inheritance comes our way, Psalm 16 shows us how to accept and enjoy it.

First, God tells us to accept its boundaries. Verse 6 says, "The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places;..." The "lines" in this verse is talking about the property lines of your land. God is teaching us that we must accept the hardships that He has given to us. You must accept that your sickness, heartache and plight of life is your inheritance that you must endure. Fighting the boundaries of your life will not help it to become what it is supposed to be. Christian, stop fighting what God has sent your way and accept it as your inheritance.

Second, find the good in your inheritance. Verse 6 calls this inheritance a "goodly heritage." There is good in whatever you are currently facing. Sometimes all you can see in your inheritance is what you don't have, when what you need to look for is what your inheritance does have. There is value in your inheritance of life. Your inheritance of life makes you more valuable to help others.

Third, thank the LORD for your inheritance. Verse 7 says, "I will bless the LORD,..." Christian, when is the last time you thanked God for what you are going through? Too many times we complain to God about what we are going through when He commands us to thank Him for it. Yes, it may be hard to thank God for it, but you must trust God that He is looking out for your best interest. Therefore, thank Him for what you are enduring.

Fourth, don't try to move the lines of your inheritance. Verse 8 says, "I shall not be moved." Determine not to let your inheritance of life change you. What I mean is you must decide that you will not quit on God because of the difficulty of your inheritance. Far too often people quit when the times get tough, when what they should have done is decided they were not going to be moved. Decide right now that you will not allow your hardship to move you away from what God has called you to do.

Fifth, realize it will end someday. Verse 10 says, "For thou will not leave my soul in hell;..." Yes, one day what you are going through will end. I know, sometimes it seems that there is no end in sight, but you must understand that one day the heartaches you face will end. It may be that it will end when we get to Heaven, but realize that Heaven is for an eternity, and this life is only for a few years. If anything, your inheritance can make you look forward to an eternity in Heaven.

Last, stay close to God. Verse 11 says, "...in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." You will never see the good in your life's inheritance if you don't stay close to God. Notice that the Psalmist found joy and pleasures close to God. Likewise, you will only find joy and pleasures in your heartaches if you stay close to God. His presence is what helps you to accept the lines of your inheritance.

About the Throne

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About the Throne

Revelation 4:4

"And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold."

Years ago I had the privilege of traveling to England to preach a week of revival meetings. While I was there, the pastor took me on a tour to see the crown jewels and the throne of England. My perception of crowns, jewels and the throne were changed forever because of this trip. The western culture cannot grasp the uniqueness and mystique of the throne because of our form of government. However, after I could see with my eyes the beauty of the throne, I better understood the throne and why God set one up in Heaven.

Revelation 4 is a description of the throne of Heaven and what is about the throne. Certainly, the beauty of the throne that God sits upon cannot be imagined by the human mind. Yet, God tried to describe what it would be like. We find about the throne in Heaven are twenty-four elders who have their own seats and crowns upon their heads. Yet, when God entered the room, we find three things happened because of His presence.

First, God's holiness was seen and proclaimed. Verse 8 says that the beasts about the throne cried day and night, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come." It is interesting that God's presence was what was proclaimed and not what the elders about the throne had done. One of the greatest needs of this day is the need to see the holiness of God again. When people see God's holiness, then it will cause others to live holy. I fear that one of the reasons that Christians are filled with sin is because they have not seen God's holiness. No, we cannot go to Heaven to see His holiness, but we can see His holiness by studying the Scriptures.

Second, the focus of Heaven was proper. You will notice that the focus of Heaven was not upon the elders, but it was upon God. When people spend time with God, then their focus will be proper. Too many Christians are focused on man and not upon God. Let me make this very clear to you, we do not serve man, but we serve God. It does not matter what some man whom God has used in a great way says, it only matters what God says. Until you get your focus right, you will always struggle in your Christian life.

Third, Heaven's attitude towards themselves was proper. When the holiness of God was proclaimed, then the twenty-four elders fell down and worshipped God. What is amazing to me is how people justify not using the altar. When these elders saw God's holiness, they had no problem coming off their seats and falling on their face before God. Likewise, when you get in God's presence and see His holiness, you will have no problem leaving your seat in church and going to an altar to worship God by getting rid of your sin.

You may wonder how this can help your Christian life. Though we cannot physically be at the throne of Heaven, we can go into God's presence daily through the Scriptures and prayer. When you spend time with God, you will find that your focus will be proper and your attitude towards yourself and sin will be right. Whatever you do, don't let your time with God slip, but be sure to daily set time aside to spend with God so that you can keep your focus and perspective right.

Enthusiasm

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You Need to Get Enthusiastic

2 Corinthians 9:2

"For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many."

When Paul talked about the church of Corinth, he pointed out the zeal of this church. He pointed out that the zeal, or enthusiasm, of this church excited others when he said, "...your zeal hath provoked very many." If you attended a service at this church, you would have noticed their excitement during the services. The services of this church were not like a funeral service, but they were exciting. Their services were so exciting that when people came to church it caused them to get excited as well.

One of the weaknesses I have noticed about our present day churches is the lack of enthusiasm during the services. The average church service has no fervor during the congregational singing. The average church service has no "Amen's" during the preaching time. When you attend the average church today, there is no excitement.

However, you can go to any college sports game and see the enthusiasm in their stadiums. When you watch sporting events on television, you will see the fans are very enthusiastic about a ballgame that has no impact anyone's life. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy watching sporting events, but it is a crying shame when people are more enthusiastic about sporting events than they are about the work of the LORD.

Christian, there is nothing spiritual about being a dead Christian. There are Christian colleges that discourage their students from being enthusiastic during the preaching services. When Paul was speaking to this church at Corinth, he commended them for their zeal. When you read about Heaven, you will find that there is excitement about God and His truths. For anyone to think that no "Amen's" or excitement in the church services is a sign of Christian maturity is simply false. If anything, not having enthusiasm is a sign of a backslidden heart.

Moreover, when you are enthusiastic about the LORD's work, it will cause others to become enthusiastic. Notice that the zeal of this church "provoked very many." Likewise, if you would get enthusiastic about the LORD's work, you would be surprised how others will want to be involved with that work. One of the reasons we are losing the youth in Christianity is because of the lack of enthusiasm in church services. Youth want no part of something that is dead. Now, this is no excuse to leave the church, but it is a fact that youth want to be part of something enthusiastic. If you will start becoming enthusiastic about serving the LORD and the preaching of the Word of God, you will find that it will begin to spread to others.

If you are going to get an infectious zeal for God, then you must believe in what you are doing. You will never be enthusiastic about the LORD's work if you don't wholeheartedly believe in what you are doing. You must believe that the LORD's way of life is the best way of life. You must believe that the truths of the Word of God will change lives. You must also get rid of sin if you want to have a true zeal for the LORD. Sin and worldliness will always dampen your excitement for the LORD.

Let me ask you, does anybody want to serve the LORD because of your zeal? Has your zeal provoked anyone else? When you fall in love with the LORD and His work, you will find enthusiasm will come with it. I beg you, don't let others curb your enthusiasm for God. Don't let their dead Christianity kill yours. Get enthusiastic about the preaching of God's Word and what you are doing for the LORD, and you will find that your enthusiasm will spread to others.

Simply amazing

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It is Simply Amazing Grace

1 Corinthians 15:10

"But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."

Words cannot properly express the greatness of God's grace. Maybe John Newton had it right when he tried to properly describe the grace of God, he simply called it amazing grace. Amazing is the only word that can properly describe God's grace to you and I. Paul recognized the amazing grace of God by saying the he was who he was because of God's grace. He recognized how awful his life was before he got saved, and he saw how God's grace reached to where he was and saved him. Not only did God's grace save him, but this grace took him and made him into one of the greatest apostles of Christ.

Christian, let me remind you that it is God's grace that saved you from Hell. There are many who read this devotional who if it were not for the grace of God would either be in prison or in the grave. Do you remember what your life was like before you got saved? Even to those who were saved in a Christian home, it was God's grace that saved you from an awful life. I was saved at a very young age, but I realize that it was God's grace that came to me at an early age and saved me to keep me from having to live an awful life of sin. If it were not for God's amazing grace, not only would you be on your way to Hell, but you would also have a life that most likely would have taken you down a horrible road.

Furthermore, it was God's grace that caused God to give you what you have. God doesn't owe anybody anything. Too often we take for granted that we deserve to have what we have. Yet, it is God's grace that allows us to have the blessings that we have. It is God's grace that allows you to have health. It is God's grace that gave you a family to love. It is God's grace that gave you a great church to attend. It is God's grace that has paid your bills when you didn't have a way to pay them. Look at everything you have in life and remember that God's grace is what allows that.

Moreover, it is God's grace that uses your labors for His glory. Paul recognized that God's grace turned his labors into great works. Christian, God doesn't have to use you for anything. However, His grace chose to use the works that you do to accomplish great things for Him. Don't become haughty because of what God has done through you. It is only God's grace that caused Him to take your works when He could have used something else to perform them.

Finally, it is God's grace that made you who you are. I am constantly amazed what God has made out of me. I don't have any great background of which to boast, yet God has chosen to make me what I am. Likewise, whoever you are and whatever you have done, it is only God's grace that has allowed you to become who you are. Without God's grace, you would not be who you are as a Christian.

Don't ever forget how amazing God's grace has truly been to you. If you will remember how great God's grace has been to you, then you will be able to keep yourself in proper perspective. When you remember what God's grace has done for you, I believe you will say what John Newton said about God's grace: it is amazing grace.

Compensation

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Proper Compensation

1 Corinthians 9:11

"If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?"

The Apostle Paul took the time to deal with the compensation of the man of God. He used the analogy of an ox that treads the corn to show the church of Corinth how they should take care of their pastor. He reminded this church that as God commanded that the ox that plows the corn has a right to eat, likewise the man of God who gives himself to the ministry should be properly compensated for his work. The verse above asked if the man of God sowed spiritual things, "...is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?" In other words, God wanted this church to realize that they had an obligation to make sure their pastor reaped the benefits of his work.

Unfortunately there are those who think that the preacher should not be compensated for preaching the Word of God. I was recently in a restaurant when the pastor I was with tried to witness to a young man who was belligerent about men of God "getting rich" off the church. Though there are probably a few cases when men of God abuse the church in this area, on the whole most men of God do not get the proper compensation they deserve. Reason with me just a little if you will. Would a doctor continue in their line of work if they knew they would get nothing in return? After all the training a doctor goes through, they expect to get paid for their services. Imagine a heart surgeon performing heart surgery with their mind preoccupied with how to get food for their family. As preposterous as this sounds, this is exactly what some churches expect from their pastor. Though most preachers will still give their all, it is wrong for you to expect the preacher to literally have to work another full-time job so he can pay his bills.

There are some things you should consider about the care of your pastor's finances. First, be sure that their pay, at the least, equals the pay of the average income in your area. For instance, most people make enough to be able to pay their monthly housing expenses, food bill, and still have extra for clothing or dining out. These are just a few of the expenses a pastor must pay. Simply put, examine your monthly bills, then realize that your pastor probably has the same expenses.

Furthermore, be sure that he has a decent car to drive. Many do not consider that their pastor uses their car for church business. The pastor makes hospital visits in his car. He will most likely use his car to visit church members and go soul winning. He will use his car to drive to conferences to get ideas to help your family. He doesn't have to have the top of the line, though there is nothing wrong with that, but he should at minimum have a dependable car.

Moreover, you should make sure that the church places enough in it's budget to send your pastor to at least one conference a year. Companies often send their employees to training every year. A conference is a training time for the pastor. He also needs to get his spiritual battery recharged. A good conference can help train and recharge his battery.

Last, be sure to consider his health insurance and retirement. Just like you, he will have hospital expenses. Just like you, he will get old some day and may have to step aside. Though most pastors won't talk about this, your pastor deserves the right not to be concerned with these expenses. Your pastor's wife should know that she will be taken care of with a retirement plan if her husband was to pass away before her.

Though I will be criticized for this devotional, I believe it is Scriptural to take care of your pastor. I'm sure your pastor does his best to spiritually feed you, so be sure to do your best and make sure he is financially taken care of in the proper way.

Fruit Basket

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What's in Your Fruit Basket?

Romans 6:21

"What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death."

When I travel to churches to preach, many of the churches will put a fruit basket in my hotel room so that I can have something on which to snack. Most of the fruit baskets have the same snacks with one additional thing that is unique to that church or area. I always enjoy looking in the fruit basket to find what is unique about that basket.

The verse above shows us that our life produces fruit. Before you got saved, your sinful works produced fruit, and now that you are saved your works also produce fruit. However, God asked the Christians in Rome what fruit they had before they got saved. Apparently, these Christians were contemplating some of the works they did before they got saved, and God wanted to remind them that the fruit of their previous works produced death. God wanted them to see that the fruit of sin is death, but the fruit of obeying and serving God produces life.

Your life is a spiritual fruit basket that has collected fruit from the different works you've performed. Let me ask you, what is in your fruit basket? If I were to go into the spiritual hotel room and see your life as my fruit basket, what would I find in that basket? I'm afraid that many Christians would be ashamed if I could see the fruits of their works. However, the fruit of your works will be revealed one day, and you had better be sure that you have fruits of which you would not be ashamed.

When we look at the fruit basket of your life, do we find the fruit of sin? Have you filled your life's fruit basket with sinful actions? Is it filled with the works of the flesh? Galatians 5:19-21 shows us the fruits of the flesh when it says, "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like:..." Christian, look at this list carefully and ask yourself if you would really like to eat fruit that is as vile as these works. Yet, that is what many Christian produce; they produce a distasteful fruit because of the sins they continue to commit.

On the other hand, God wants your spiritual fruit basket to be filled with the fruit we find in Galatians 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." When your spiritual fruit basket is filled with these works, then your fruit will be a good tasting Christian life. When the world partakes of it, they will enjoy what they taste.

Christian, be careful what you put into your spiritual fruit basket. Realize that you already tried the fruit of sin before you got saved, and you didn't like its results. Strive every day to fill your spiritual fruit basket with fruit that you will enjoy when you get old. One day you will eat, or reap, the fruit of your spiritual fruit basket. Make it a fruit that you can show without regret to your children and those whom you influence.