Category Archives: Promises

Advice, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Crowns, Encouragement, Eternity, Faithfulness, Family, Grace, Heaven, Inspirational, Parenting, Promises, Redemption, Salvation, Scripture, Treasures

MY INHERITANCE

TITUS 3:7

“so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

I saw a movie recently in which all the family were clamoring over the inheritance left by their father and grandfather. When it all went to someone else, they were furious. They had been planning how to spend all that money and now there was nothing for them. Aren’t you glad that God doesn’t leave us out of His inheritance? He promised it, so we will receive it.

But just exactly what will we receive? We will receive eternal life. We will receive entrance into heaven. We will receive all the riches of heaven. We will receive crowns and rewards according to our faithfulness here. You see, the difference between our inheritance here on earth and our inheritance in heaven is that WE have to die to inherit our heavenly reward. And for the believer, there is no greater inheritance.

APPLICATION

Do your children know they will inherit your stuff? I am assuming that’s how your will is written. What? No will? Well, you need to get that written, if you haven’t. If you have that will, and your children are named as the recipients, at some point you need to go over it with them. They need to know who is getting what. Too many families end up fighting and fussing over mom’s and dad’s inheritance when they are gone.

But more importantly, you need to talk about their heavenly inheritance. When you bring out your will, talk about how the Lord has already established their inheritance for all His children. Unlike your will, which you could change, He will never remove you from what He has promised you in Christ. There is nothing you can do to be removed. It was His grace that justified you.

Are you waiting on some earthly inheritance? Are you making plans on how to spend that money? Don’t be so sure. Earthly treasures are fleeting. You can rest in your heavenly inheritance. It is a sure thing. God has promised it, and He never breaks a promise. Live today as God sees you. You are a child of the king. You are royalty. You are rich beyond description.

I know I am Your child, and along with every other believer I am an heir. Thank You for taking me into Your family. Thank You for making me Your child.

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Child Raising, Child Rearing, Encouragement, Eternity, Glory, Heaven, Parenting, Promises, Sanctification

THE THREE P’S

2 TIMOTHY 4:18

“The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”

You may have heard salvation described this way – we were saved, we are being saved and we will be saved. Or maybe like this – we were saved from the penalty of sin, the power of sin and one day the presence of sin. That’s what today’s verse is saying.

Paul is thanking God in advance and telling Timothy that he is secure in the fact that the Lord will rescue him from the very presence of sin. He is going home to His heavenly kingdom where there is no sin. Can you imagine? No evil. No hurt feelings. No paybacks. Just pure joy!

APPLICATION

Ask your children to imagine a perfect place. Get them to draw a picture if they like to do that. Don’t talk about heaven yet. Just get them to describe their perfect place. What makes it perfect? Is it the people? Is it what they get to do? Just what determines perfection for your child?

Now, read them this verse and talk about different heaven will be from our earth without heaven. Ask them why they think Paul uses the words “rescue” and “bring me safely” when he describes going to heaven. Better yet, get them to draw a picture of Jesus doing that for them. Those should be some interesting pictures worthy of the kitchen frig.

Let me ask you point blank. Have you been rescued? Are you secure in your salvation? If not, why not surrender your heart and your life to Him today. If you have, are you walking in that victory we have in Jesus? You ARE free from the penalty of sin. You ARE free from the power of sin. And praise God one day you will be free from the very presence of sin. Sing Hallelujah!!!

I sing Your praises, O Lord. You are the only one who can deliver me. I rest completely in Your saving power.

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Advice, Bible, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Encouragement, Modeling, Obedience, Parenting, Promises

PROMISES, PROMISES

2 TIMOTHY 1:1 

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus,” 

It is so easy to make promises, isn’t it? You say it sometimes before you actually think about. Maybe you are in the grocery checkout line and your little two-year-old is pitching a fit for one of those candy bars they place right at the cash register. So, before you know it you say, “Okay, if you will get quiet, I will get you the candy.” Promise made. 

That is NOT the kind of promise Paul is referring to here. Just about every time the word is used in the Bible it refers to God’s promises, which we know He will always keep. And almost every use of the word in the New Testament points back to an Old Testament, even this one. Our promise of life is found only in Jesus, whom we know was prophesied about through the Old Testament. 

APPLICATION 

 Do your children make promises they can’t keep? Little children tend to do that to get something they want. “Daddy, let me stay up and watch tv later tonight and I will clean my room tomorrow.” You know good and well that is not going to happen, lol. 

Promises are good, if they are the right one. A promise of purity is a beautiful thing. A promise to be faithful to our spouse is holy. A promise to… You get the picture. But promises should be made sparingly and thoughtfully. God’s promises are the ONLY promises that are a sure thing. Our children need to understand that. Others may break their promises, but God cannot and will not because He is perfect and holy. 

Are you a promise keeper? Do you make rash promises and then forget them? Stop it! The next time you begin a sentence with “I promise” stop and ask yourself what you are promising and if you have the ability to keep it. If not, don’t say it. God will be more honored by you not making that promise than making it and breaking it. 

Father, only You are the true promise keeper. I know I can trust You to fulfill every promise You have ever made. You are faithful.    

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