Our Inheritance part 2
By: Ashley Thomas
The first important key to help us unlock our understanding concerning our inheritance, is to know ” what is the hope of His calling”. If you know anything about hope, hope always envisions something better. Our election and our choosing was predesigned by God, who called us in hope. He has envisioned something better for us. That’s right, from the foundation of the world it has been God’s plan to set aside something so marvelous, for us receive. While it is true that we have such blessings of immense proportions, we have a counterfeit scheme orchestrated by the enemy of our soul to detract us. This scheme is called “profit” (to gain advantage), it is likened to a coin - it has two sides. Heads you win and tails you lose.
With such an appeal, we all desire to win. This is a trap that feeds our ego, because when you gain something, you scarcely want to lose it or give it up (the casinos fully understand this nature). In fact you will do anything to keep it, because you know the loss is often painful. However the ones who are called in hope, understand that they are called to suffer loss first. Jesus said if you save your life, you will wind up losing it, but if you lose you life for my sake, you will wind up finding it. The apostle Paul said it himself, what was profitable to me, he said I now count loss. He wasn’t merely talking about his wealth, he was indeed rich man, but he was talking about his self - life. Everything that pertains to the self life was to be counted loss. The one who is willing for such pain, and may I add sometime much pain, stands to gain much in the end.
I’ve said all of this, to share with you and to affirm this truth, that God who called you in hope, called you not to lose but to gain. Again in the words of the apostle Paul, for me to live is Christ and to die is gain. Every child of God has so much to gain because that is the pleasure of His “Will” . Therefore this calling is with purpose, meaning and definition, it is for you to receive His highest and best.
If you are one of those who has suffered loss, don’t despair but just know the hope of His calling because you stand to gain so much in the end. Let me say that the pleasure of God’s Will, is for you to be the beneficiary of every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. You may ask how do I know this is true, there are two witnesses in which every truth shall be established. One you have the written testament in your hands and two you have the seal of the Holy Spirit who is the guarantor of that promise. It is signed, sealed and delivered. Remember it is written “Fear not little flock, it is you Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom”: (Luke 12:32) , therefore may we boldly say “Thy Kingdom come, thy Will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen!
Ashley Thomas http://www.ariseshine.org.au is the lead pastor of an emerging church in Brisbane Australia and is the writer of Praise The Lord It’s Friday a weekly article of life and encouragement.