The Voyage, the Picture and Clearing out the Vault

You might have heard the story of the man and his family who went on a boat trip.  They took with them ample supplies of snacks to enjoy in the cabin as they only had enough money to pay the fare.  Every mealtime, instead of going to eat with the other passengers, they stayed in their cabin and ate their cheese and crackers.  The very last day of the journey a crew member commented and asked why they chose not to eat with the other passengers.  They responded that it was too expensive as they only had enough money to pay for the trip itself.  To their great surprise and horror, they had to find out that they missed out, as all the meals were already paid for, included in the fare.

Another story illustrates the same point.  It is of an old lady living in severe poverty in a cold, dark and damp apartment.  On the day she died, the ambulance came for her body.  One of the ambulance men saw that she really didn’t own much except for a framed picture of the wall.  He took it for safe keeping until the lady’s relatives could be located.  When he took it off the wall a piece of paper fell to the ground.  It was a copy of the will of a statesman.  In it he left the old lady the title deed to a very large and grand estate.  Turns out she was his housekeeper for many years, and he wanted to repay her in kind. 

Lastly, wouldn’t it be amazing if you were given the keys to a vault containing most of the world’s golden coins, with the instruction to go in and take as many as you want?  Whose fault will it be if you took a few golden coins and left all the rest behind?

When I started writing these blog posts, my motivation was to set out on a journey to find the “more”.  I didn’t want to get to the end of my life and when it was too late, only then find out there was so much more.  As I write these blogs, my quest and desire to find that more is still strong and the stories in the introduction serve to illustrate why the journey remains important.

All these stories have the same things in common - people having lack and falling short while being unaware and ignorant of their inheritance or provision.  It is similar to someone dying of thirst with a glass of water in their hand. 

We are all on our life’s journey.  No one journey is more special than another, just as no journey is a one size fits all.  Even though our journeys are unique with different travel plans, there are some common things and in obediently seeking, we will get to the victory destination.

The Bible says in Rom 12:1-2 to not be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewal of our minds.  Being conformed to this world is being dominated by our 5 senses - not realizing that in the spiritual realm, there is so much more.  We are called to stand out in this world.  We should not look like everybody else or react like them.  We should not fall apart when everyone around us does.  We should be different - be the face of hope and joy no matter what.  You can only do and be that if you know your position and your inheritance in Christ Jesus - if you are being transformed through a renewed mind.

If I can give an example: If you are sick, you would be wise to go see a doctor.  This is how the average person would react and would be the first thing they would think of doing.  Or you can remember that one of the characteristics of the nature of God is that He said He is the Lord our Healer (Ex 15:26).  You can go to God and ask Him what you should do about this sickness situation in your body.  He would give you instructions to go see a doctor, or to change your diet, or He would heal you supernaturally - yes, He still heals today.  If you do what He tells you to do, then it will lead to health.  He is for you, and He is for healing your body of whatever comes against it.  

For most Christians thought, this is where they would stop.  But, do you know there is a more and a higher?  Instead of asking the Lord to heal you - and there is nothing wrong with asking that and also no condemnation if you do - but you can get your mind renewed by the Word so you can realize what He has already placed on the inside of you.  Once you do, it becomes easy and simple to release the healing power that is already deposited on the inside of you in the person of the Holy Spirit.  So instead of begging God or pleading with Him, you can recognize the inheritance that He has already placed on the inside of you and all you need to do is to release it into your life and circumstances.  The Bible says what we already have:

2 Pet 1:3-4 ESV 

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

Eph 1:3 ESV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

Can you perhaps be a bit more specific about our inheritance?  Jesus gave us His Word, His Name, His Spirit, His Blood, the fruit of the Spirit, His resurrection power, healing, prosperity, peace, His faith.. The list goes on and on.

The Bible says in Hos 4:6 that we are being destroyed for a lack of knowledge.  Even if you are ignorant of your inheritance, it is still yours.  You just don’t get to enjoy it now.  Why would you not want to live in the fullness of it now?

I have heard it said and you probably also, that we only get our inheritance - the Bible blessings and promises - once we die and get to Heaven.  I find it a bit odd.  Why would I only get an inheritance once I die?  Shouldn't I rather get it when someone else dies?  Yes, I am an heir of Christ and because He died (and rose again), I am a joint heir with Him now.  

Rom 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.

What did He leave me?  Has The Will been read yet?  Wrong question.  Have you read The Will yet, is more appropriate.  This Will is unique.  The inheritance is so vast that you need to read The Will every day so you can remain mindful of what is yours and so you can appropriate and possess the riches of that inheritance.  Getting your mind renewed through the Word daily, is key.  

Don’t you want to know what is yours in Christ?  If yes, then get into the Word today:

Philemon 1:6 NKJV - 6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

Like with most things in life, you can get off into either side of a ditch. You can either get into religion believing nearly nothing, or you can see spiritual awakenings and experiences in just about everything.  Some people take things so far and share such incredible spiritual experiences and so-called inheritances that makes you wonder to the point that you ask them to show you where this is in the Word.  Their response might be that they no longer go only by what the Bible says - they have moved beyond that now.  Truth be told - that is moving a tad too far beyond where I would feel safe and comfortable to go.  So for me, my safeguard is always within the pages of the Word - anything outside of that, no matter how amazing and wonderful it may sound, is just too far out for my comfort.

The Bible says that Jesus will wipe away our tears.  I heard a preacher once say that the reason for the tears will be because most will just barely make it into Heaven by the skins of their teeth and so instead of Jesus saying, "Well done”, He will say “Well, you are done!”  Nope, I choose to believe that He will be wiping away our tears when we realize how far below His provision and blessing we lived - how our impact in the world could have been so much more. May this not be true of us..

Rev 21:4 ESV - He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

I don’t want it to sound like the journey is all about me.  It is not.  It is about honoring the Lord - and His larger than life sacrifice and the high price He paid - enough to at least find out what I have inherited.  It is about Him and the grace that is almost too good to be true - that did for me what I had no way of doing or obtaining for myself.  It is about Him.  It will always be about Him and to give honor and glory to the Father through Him.

When I started the blog posts, the quest was to find the more - the more I have in Him, but also the more I am in Him in order to give the more glory to Him.  Come along - don’t lose focus, don’t get distracted, don’t get weary - the exciting journey continues.  If we keep our eyes on Him, He will lead us there.

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