This week's focal passage:
"The wise shall inherit glory, But shame shall be the legacy of the fools."
Proverbs 3:35 (NKJV)
Strong's:
Wise #2450 - chakam = intelligent, skillful, artful, wise-hearted
Inherit #5157 - nachal = occupy, have, leave for
Shame #7036 - qulown = disgrace, confusion, dishonor
Legacy (promotion in the KJV) #7311 - ruwm = breed worms
As parents, Glen and I often think about what we will leave our children as an inheritance. We do not have many earthly possessions, but we do have something that is FAR more valuable and ETERNAL…We have an intimate, personal, real relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. We are no longer bound to the things of this world, but we belong to the kingdom of God. We are children of the Risen Lord, the Great I AM, the King of kings, the Most High, and all that belongs to Him HE has graciously given to us as an inheritance!! "Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light." (Colossians 1:12)
God's Word tells us exactly what Christ Jesus has done for us and offers to us through His sacrifice on the cross. "HE has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sin." (Colossians 1:13-14) God's Word goes on to explain exactly who Christ is and the power that is His. "HE is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And HE is before all things and in Him all things consist." (Colossians 1:15-17)
Scripture continues this promise in Ephesians 1:17-23 "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which HE worked in Christ when HE raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And HE put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him all in all."
My Friend, many of us are walking a very thin line. We say, with our mouths, that we love the Lord God with all our hearts, minds, and souls; however, very little in our daily life reflects that. We allow ourselves to get distracted by the things of this world, i.e., responsibilities, daily chores, employment, successful ventures, children, spouses, our hopes, dreams, expectations, circumstances, etc. Not all of which are "bad" but when they become our focus, our love, our driving motivation, then the "good" things quickly become our idols…They replace our focus and our love for Christ Jesus. When this happens, we begin to live a life that is worthless and void of all meaning and purpose. We were created to bring glory and honor to the Lord God. We must not forget this!!
Forgetting our purpose is detrimental to our walk/relationship with Christ Jesus. Christ will NOT take 2nd place and HE will not be our "genie in a bottle". HE demands complete surrender, absolute abandon to self and sin, and true humility that only comes through His revitalizing work in our hearts. Living a life that has eternal purpose can only be obtained through a daily study of God's Word, allowing ourselves to approach the throne of God with honesty and openness, and a heart that is willing and obedient to the Lord God no matter what the cost.
Time is running out, My Friend. Christ is preparing to return and gather His bride…Are you preparing to meet your Groom? Reread our focal passage once more. "The wise shall inherit glory, But shame shall be the legacy of the fools." (Proverbs 3:35) If Christ Jesus called you home today, what would your legacy be? What would those left behind learn from your life? Would they look at your life as an example of a godly man/woman or would they be "confused" because you said you loved the Lord, but you lived your life for self? Shame in this verse means confusion and legacy here means "to breed worms." Scripture talks about the destruction of worms…"Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, And the sound of your stringed instruments; The maggot is spread under you, And the worms cover you." (Isaiah 14:11) "Then the Angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died." (Acts 12:23)
When we live a life of hypocrisy, people know it. They may not confront us, but they know that we are not truthful and the Lord is not in us. We destroy ourselves and the testimony that the Lord has for us before men. What are we doing? We only have a short time to prepare for the coming of the King and we allow ourselves to get sidetracked by meaningless things, meaningless accomplishments, meaningless pursuits. When you exit this earth, what do you want to leave behind? May the cry of our hearts be repentance before the Lord God and may HE grant us another day to live for Him and Him alone. May we understand the inheritance that is ours as a child of God and may our sole desire be to bring others to the foot of the cross so they may inherit the glory of God themselves. "…That HE might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy…" (Romans 9:23)
Your Sister in Christ,
Michelle Jones
October 20, 2008
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