Jesus promised our eternal inheritance and the Bible records it. The royalties are vast beyond our wildest dreams. Believe it!
A Truly Believable Inheritance
by Charles R. Swindoll
UNBELIEVABLE! I thought.
After I opened the letter that had just arrived in my office and began to read the notification, it quickly occurred to me I had just received the letter most folks can only dream of.
“Cynthia! Look!”
She casually read the letter and mumbled, “I don’t....”
“Wait! Look...it’s an inheritance!” I interrupted.
The paper informed us that we recently received partial rights to a natural gas well. The rights were owned by my maternal grandfather,Mr.L.O.Lundy.Whenhe passed, rights then went to my mother. When she passed, rights went to my father. Then, sometime after he passed, the rights transferred to me and my siblings.
After showing it to Cynthia, I picked up the phone to call Luci.
“Sis!”
“What?”
“You get a letter?”
She said, “Yeah...we’re now rich!”
“I know it—it’s fantastic!” I replied.
All we had to do was wait for the royalties to stream in without so much as lifting a pinkie or breaking a sweat.
So, we waited. Then, waited. And waited. And...finally! There it was. The first cheque arrived in the mail. I opened the envelope and rushed to find the amount from our partial ownership of this cash gusher, and...$1.37.
Talk about a letdown.
I called up Luci: “Hey toots, how you doin’?”
“Did you get your cheque?” she asked.
“Yeah...we ain’t rich, you know.”
“I know,” she sighed.
The trickle continued. I remember one quarter’s proceeds delivered 86 cents. The paper and postal stamp cost more than the royalty itself! One time, I skimmed through the fine print and discovered that our share was something like one-eighth of one-10th of one-30th of one-50th of one-fourth of onehalf of one percent! At least, it felt like it. We got tired of keeping all the records, so you know what we did? We sold it!
Isn’t that story a lot like life without God?
The offerings of this world promise so much! But chasing it all—and even getting it all—without Jesus leaves us with about a $1.37.
Jesus captured it best when He said, “What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?” (Mark 8:36).
Following Christ, however, offers immediate rewards and an eternal inheritance.
Jesus said,
“I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property— along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life.” (Mark 10:29–30, emphasis added)
The book of Revelation, our program’s focus in recent months, spotlights that last promise from Jesus: our future heritage in Him. Christ’s eternal promise will not leave you with a $1.37.
Elsewhere, I’ve emphasized “Heaven’s Magnificent Negatives.” Read through Revelation 21–22 and simply note everything John says will not be in heaven. All the negatives listed are enough to make you pause.
Heaven, though, is not merely the absence of evil and evil’s effects.
So, let’s talk about a few of the positives.
First and foremost, we get full enjoyment of and fellowship with Christ—receiving all the benefits of being His co-heir, God’s adopted children (Revelation 21:3, 7).
You will be at home with God. God will be at home with you.
You will see Christ face-to-face, and He will give you a new name (2:17; 22:4).
The new earth will offer enough delights to fill eternity.
God’s presence will light up every corner and crevice.
The water of life will flow freely.
The tree of life will bloom eternally.
Just take a moment to try to imagine it all!
And it says we will reign with Jesus (22:5).
All this, and more, is our inheritance in Christ. It’s ours in deposit now.
Bank on it my friend. Let these words quicken your mind and heart in devotion to
your Lord and love for others. He wants us to rest in this hope and live by this hope. Feel the passion in Jesus’ promise:
“Look, I am coming soon! Blessed are those who obey the words of prophecy written in this book...I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End…I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this message for the churches. I am both the source of David and the heir to his throne. I am the bright morning star.”
(Revelation 22:7, 13, 16)
If another surprise inheritance letter comes in the mail, I’ll think twice before getting my hopes up. If something seems unbelievable, it probably is...unless it is God who says it
“For nothing will be impossible with God.”
(Luke 1:37 NASB2020)
Jesus promised our eternal inheritance and the Bible records it. The royalties are vast beyond our wildest dreams. Believe it!
Beyond Today
by Charles R. Swindoll
If you can look into the seeds of time, And say which grain will grow, and which will not, Speak, then, to me...”1 Who wouldn’t want to hear from someone like that? Who hasn’t felt him or herself standing on tiptoe, straining to see what lies ahead? Every generation has had its share of individuals who believed they had the prophetic gift of foretelling
the future. To take one humorous example, in 1967, Herman Kahn and Anthony J. Wiener wrote a book titled The Year 2000: A Framework for Speculation on the Next Thirty-Three Years. They predicted that there would be such an enormous explosion of growth that by the year 2000, cities would expand up to 100 million inhabitants, which Kahn and Weiner called “megalopolises.” They humorously tagged the future “megalopolis”
stretching between Boston and Washington D.C. BosWash; from San Francisco to San Diego, SanSan; and from Chicago to Pittsburgh, ChickiPitts! And can you imagine the traffic jam from Houston to Corpus Christi? I’d suggest that death trap be called WhoseCorpse!
Even Newsweek made a few attempts at predicting, as its writers looked beyond the today of 1979. In an article—“The Cracked Crystal Ball”—they asked and tried to answer questions about the future. Tough, sweeping questions. Questions still relevant today. Among them:
Will our nation regain its trust?
Is public education doomed?
Can the world be fed?
Can we find more oil?
Can we keep hoping?
That last one is really the root issue, isn’t it? Unless we have hope, it could be a pretty dismal future for us. Shakespeare’s “seeds of time” might very well be scattered and dangerously thinned out over the next 15 or 20 years.
doesn’t take a crystal ball to see those facts in our future. You do that right now. Stop and add 10 years to your life and (if you have a family) do the same with each one of your children.
Suddenly we’re all a bit more sober. The clapper of urgency has struck the bell of reality, and some of us sense a summons back to our inescapable responsibility. God commands us to “number our days / That we may present to [Him] a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12 NASB2020).
WHERE ARE YOU GOING? WHAT’S YOUR GAME PLAN FOR THE NEXT DECADE?
But let’s limit our thoughts to something we can handle. Most of us must admit those huge questions out of Newsweek are too vast for us. And the idea of living in a megalopolis is too remote to interest us. We need a bite-size chunk to chew on.
OK then, how about that unit called your family?...Now there’s something worth thinking about beyond today. Where are you going? What’s your game plan for the next decade?
Have you given any thought to specific objectives you want to reach—or at least shoot for? How about selecting some priorities? You say there’s no hurry? I challenge that. These 10 years will literally fly by...and you’ll rip that December sheet off your calendar wondering, How did 10 years go by so fast?
Ten years. The Swindoll “kids” will be 72, 70, 66, and 63. Some of them will probably be walking down the aisle at their children’s weddings...and some might even be bouncing grandchildren on their knees. Whatever, it
Forgive me for pressing the issue near the point of offense, but unless some of you who read these words stop and think and plan and start to execute essential goals, indifference, passivity, and procrastination will win another victory. And instead of making a few hard decisions that will initiate beneficial changes, your family ties will loosen, your children will drift, and you’ll dread the memory of the way you were. How much better to invite the living, all-knowing Lord to show you ways to make the decade ahead much better than the ones behind. How about our offering this prayer in faith: “Lord, because You can look into the seeds of time, and say which grain will grow, and which will not, Speak then to me....”
February 2010 NL Lead Article | (TIO N/D; CBW p. 289)
1. William Shakespeare, Macbeth, 1.3.58–60, in William Shakespeare: The Complete Works (New York: Barnes and Noble, 1994), 860.
Joseph: The Dreamer of Faith and Forgiveness
by Insight for Living Canada
One of the toughest pills to swallow is the fact that we aren’t always in control. Sometimes we find ourselves at the receiving end of others’ bad choices, facing hardship and pain that we didn’t invite into our lives. It’s during these moments of struggle that we can draw inspiration from the remarkable story of the Old Testament character Joseph.
Name
The name Joseph comes from a Hebrew verb meaning “to add.” In its present form, it means “may He (God) add (sons).”
Outstanding Characteristic
Forgiveness and faith.
Summary
Joseph was a beloved son of Jacob, one of the patriarchs of Israel. Jacob expressed favouritism
by gifting Joseph a special coat. Joseph also had dreams that suggested his family would one day bow down to him. These dreams, combined with his father’s favouritism, stirred intense jealousy and anger among his brothers. Out of their envy, Joseph’s brothers decided to sell him into slavery and deceive Jacob into believing that Joseph had been killed. After being transported to Egypt, Joseph was sold to Potiphar, a captain in the army. Through all of this, the Lord continued to provide for Joseph. It wasn’t long before Joseph was put in charge of Potiphar’s household. While serving in the household, Potiphar’s wife attempted to seduce Joseph. He rejected her advances and fled from her. In response, she accused him of rape, which led to Joseph’s wrongful imprisonment. There, he began to
gain attention as an accurate dream interpreter. When Pharaoh heard of Joseph’s gift, he summoned Joseph to decipher his own troubling dream. Impressed by Joseph’s God-given wisdom, Pharaoh released him from prison and put him in charge of Egypt’s grain supplies during the famine. Pharaoh was pleased with Joseph and made him second in command. During the famine, Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt seeking grain. Joseph met his brothers upon their arrival. He forgave their betrayal and had his entire family move to Egypt, where he looked after them.
Key Scripture
But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them (Genesis 50:19–21).
Lessons Learned
1. Strength instead of setback
break their promises. Focus on being the kind of loving servant He has designed you to be. Fully trust Him during the waiting periods. God will not forsake or forget you.
3. Gratitude instead of pride
God is the one who brings us from the pit to the pinnacle. If He has promoted you, be grateful, not proud. God doesn’t announce His appointments in advance, so we must trust Him to bring things about in His time and way.
4. Faith instead of defeat
WHILE MOST OF US WILL NOT BE LEADERS OF GREAT COUNTRIES OR MIGHTY EMPIRES, WE
CAN ALL LEARN FROM JOSEPH’S
STORY.
Greatness like Joseph’s comes with faith in God which manifests itself in a magnanimous attitude toward others and a magnificent attitude toward difficulties. When those two essentials are in place, troubles become challenges to face, not reasons to quit.
5. Surrender instead of resentment
God’s servants face adversity, temptation, false accusation, betrayal, and deprivation. These challenges can lead to spiritual setbacks for some. However, these situations can also provide opportunity to strengthen our trust and faith in our God. As we keep our faith in the Lord, He will be with us regardless of the circumstances.
2. Trust instead of panic
Joseph spent many years waiting for God to act on his behalf. During times like these, we need to learn to trust God without panicking. While he couldn’t foresee the specifics of how his troubles would lead to a greater purpose, Joseph held onto the belief that God was working behind the scenes. Rely on God to handle the people who forget you and
In the midst of his trials, Joseph chose to surrender to God and embrace a higher perspective. Instead of focusing on his trials, he chose to focus on God. This perspective enabled Joseph to forgive his brother’s past mistreatment of him. He turned his gaze away from his troubles, saying, “But God intended it all for good.”
Although living up to the example that Joseph left may feel daunting, it’s important to remember that God calls us all to our own unique path. While most of us will not be leaders of great countries or mighty empires, we can all learn from Joseph’s story. His life serves as an excellent example of how we too can be people of faith and forgiveness in our walk with the Lord.
Bible Basics: Illumination and Understanding the Word
by Steve Johnson
Through illumination, every believer is capable of understanding the Word of God. The Holy Spirit plays a vital role in enabling believers to grasp and apply God’s Word to their lives.
To illuminate means to have something brightened with light and made clear to the eyes. Simply put, illumination in the spiritual sense is “turning on the light.”
What is biblical illumination?
Biblical illumination can be defined as a special work of the Holy Spirit whereby He enlightens people so they can comprehend the written Word of God. It begins with the pre-salvation work of the Spirit of convicting and convincing unbelievers of the truth of the Gospel that they might trust in Christ. “And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News” (2 Timothy 1:10). Non-Christians can only experience the illuminating work of the Spirit in the matter of convicting and convincing them of the truth of the Gospel message. Once convicted, everyone who receives Christ as their Saviour subsequently has the Holy Spirit indwelling them. The illuminating work of the Spirit is thus guaranteed to all
believers. Romans 8:9 teaches, “You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.)”
As believers, we must depend on Him to teach us new truths and to remind us of truths we may have forgotten. Paul wrote, “I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance” (Ephesians 1:18). As to the extent of the Spirit’s illumination, it encompasses all Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation. Why is biblical illumination important?
In order to understand Scripture, we need special enablement from God. The Bible, as the Word of God, is a spiritual book and is beyond man’s natural abilities to comprehend. “No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 2:11).
Adam’s fall into sin and his spiritual death rendered humanity incapable of comprehending the truth of Scripture. “But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish
to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means” (1 Corinthians 2:14).
Illumination must not be confused with revelation, inspiration, or interpretation. In revelation, God discloses His truth. Through inspiration, He sees that it is recorded without error for us. And by the illumination of His Spirit, He enables us to understand and apply it. For our part, we are to follow sound methods of interpretation according to the nature of Scripture. How does illumination occur?
It is not by “direct revelation.” Revelation has ceased. The canon of Scripture is closed. The Holy Spirit will illuminate our understanding when we humbly combine prayer, reading, study, and meditation all with a view to obeying. (1 Corinthians 2:9–16)
The first step in understanding the Bible by the power of the Holy Spirit is to begin with humility. It begins with the renunciation of pride and having a real sense of how depraved and distorted our minds are, and how readily our hearts desire other things more than we desire God. If the Holy Spirit does not work in us, giving us the fruit of humility and teachability, we will either deny or distort the truth of Scripture.
God, “Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions" (Psalm 119:18).
Praying cannot replace reading the Bible. Praying may turn reading into seeing. If we don’t read, we will not see. The Holy Spirit is sent to glorify Jesus, and the glory of Jesus is portrayed in the Word.
Study employs all the proper tools for ascertaining the meaning of the text. Then meditation thinks about the facts of the text, putting them together into a harmonious whole and applying them to one’s own life. Don’t replace thinking with praying. Pray and think.
Why does the Spirit illuminate?
PRAYING CANNOT REPLACE READING THE BIBLE. PRAYING MAY TURN READING INTO SEEING. IF WE DON’T READ, WE WILL NOT SEE.
The reason the Holy Spirit illuminates the Scripture for us is not to focus on Himself, but to glorify Christ in our lives, and to teach us—teaching that brings spiritual health and wholeness. Illumination is not concerned merely with understanding facts but with using those facts to promote obedience and Christlikeness (Ephesians 3:16–19).
Ephesians 1:17–18 tells us that the Spirit gives wisdom and revelation concerning Jesus Christ and opens the eyes of understanding so we can know God’s purposes in our lives . We go from ignorance to understanding.
Prayer for illumination is something we should do even as Paul prayed for the saints at Ephesus, asking “that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him” (Ephesians 1:18–19). Paul was not praying for new revelation, but for spiritual illumination of truth they already knew. And that is our need. Every time we open the Bible, we should ask
What hinders illumination?
Several things can hamper the Spirit’s work of illumination: carnality (1 Corinthians 3:1–3), indifference (cf. Hebrews 5:11–14 with 1 Peter 2:2), tradition and preconceived ideas (Mark 7:7–13), ignorance (Mark 12:24; Luke 24:25–32), and poor methods of Bible study or interpretation (contrast 2 Timothy 3:15).
Illumination and Bible teachers
If the Holy Spirit is given to illuminate believers, do we need Bible teachers? Some believe that 1 John suggests that we don’t: “But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he
lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie” (1 John 2:27).
However, this verse does not mean we do not need teachers. Otherwise, why would the Spirit give the gift of teaching? (Ephesians 4:11; Acts 13:1.) In the context, John was speaking of discerning truth from error. John wants us to understand that each believer is capable and responsible to study the Word for themselves because the Spirit Who inspired the Scriptures indwells every believer. The Spirit uses those whom He has given the gift of teaching in His work of illuminating the Word for others (Romans 12:7).
Here’s a practical way to think of illumination. In Genesis 1:2–3, we read, “And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” Light was not present until
the Spirit of God hovered. When the Spirit of God hovers and the Word of God speaks, order comes out of chaos. That’s what happened in creation. The earth was “formless and empty” before the Spirit and the light came.
Does your life ever feel formless, empty, or chaotic? How does life move from chaos to order? This transformation happens when the Word of God and the Holy Spirit are invited in to your life. It’s not just about reading your Bible—it’s about asking God to illumine what you read and submitting your heart to it. When you do this, God’s Spirit brings order out of chaos.
Through the Spirit’s work of illumination, God helps us understand and apply His Word so we are able to live in its light.
Steve Johnson is the executive director at Insight for Living Canada.
THE INTEGRITY OF RIGHTEOUS RESISTANCE
insight for living ministries
The following mini-study is presented to familiarize you with Pastor Chuck’s method of Bible study and provide an opportunity to study the passage yourself.
“Peter and John are classic examples of integrity at work with great courage, for without courage, integrity simply lies dormant.”
—Pastor Charles R. Swindoll
OURworld is growing increasingly hostile toward Christians and the values we hold. Resisting the decadent tide on any level of our culture is getting more and more risky. In many places around the world, suffering Christians hide from hostile, earthly authorities and fear for their lives. We are getting a taste of the world’s hatred that Jesus told us to expect.
“If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.”
(John 15:18–19)
Walking with integrity through this kind of adversity and resisting earthly authorities takes Spirit-empowered courage—the kind Peter and John demonstrated when they became targets of the first ever governmentsponsored persecution of Jesus’ church.
Prepare Your Heart
Begin this Searching the Scriptures Bible Study on righteous resistance by joining through prayer with persecuted believers around the world. Ask the Lord to strengthen them and you through your trials.
Turn to the Scriptures
On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended on believers to boldly expand Jesus’ ministry
on earth (Acts 2:1–42). Peter and John’s first miracle looked just like one of Jesus’ miracles. The religious authorities couldn’t help but notice the resemblance.
Observation: Peter and John
Carry on Jesus’ Ministry
: O What miracle did Peter and John perform according to Acts 3:1–11? What details did the biblical author want to impress upon his readers?
: O The miracle proved Christ’s resurrection, for only faith in a living Christ could heal the lame man. According to Acts 4:1-4, how did these temple watchdogs react to Peter declaring the Gospel?
: O The high council of the Jews, the Sanhedrin, gathered the next day to interrogate Peter and John. In Acts 4:57, what techniques of intimidation and coercion do you observe?
: O Not many weeks before, Jesus was on trial before this same group at Caiaphas’ house. Then, Peter was filled with fear (Matthew 26:69–75). According to Acts 4:8–12, what changes do you observe in Peter’s confidence?
: O What judgments did he pass on these “judges”? From whom did Peter draw his authority?
: O In the author’s comments in 4:13, what specific qualities in Peter and John did the council observe?
: O According to Acts 4:14-22, what order did the council give, and how did Peter and John respond?
: O How effective was Peter and John’s response on these men who tried to stop the unstoppable spread of the Gospel?
Interpretation: The
Characteristics of Spiritual Courage
:I Based on your observations, write three principles under the themes below that the author of Acts would have wanted his persecuted readers to live by.
Christians can have confidence when persecuted because...
Christians can speak with authority when persecuted because... Christians can act with effectiveness when persecuted because... Peter and John could resist the authority in the religious systems of their day with confidence because they believed in Christ who held supreme authority and they trusted in the effectiveness of the Spirit’s power.
“We don’t face the Sanhedrin, but we do face people who want to ‘cancel’ us because we believe in eternal things. Take courage to respond like Peter in Acts 4:20, ‘We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.’”
—Pastor Chuck Swindoll
Correlation: “We Must Obey God”
: C According to Acts 5:17-21, what happened when Peter and John were imprisoned again for ministering in Jesus’ name at the temple?
God’s angelic jailbreak demonstrated His greater authority. The religious leaders raged, “We gave you strict orders never again to teach in this man’s name!” (5:28).
:C What response did Peter and the apostles give in 5:29–32?
Whether religious or secular, man-made systems may try to pull rank on us but, like the apostles, we answer to a higher, true authority who has set us free and holds the keys to life! We can boldly declare with the psalmist:
“I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?” (Psalm 56:11)
Application: Righteous Resistance in Your Sphere of Influence
:A What pressure do you feel to conform to the world’s ways of thinking and behaving? What is the context of that pressure—family, work, community?
Each of us has an opportunity in our sphere of influence to take a stand for Christ. Even quoting Acts 4:12 can spark controversy in some circles: “God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved”— the name of Jesus Christ!
: A In what is your confidence? Who is your true authority? What faith do you have that your actions will be effective?
Not much has changed since the days of Peter and John when Christians were forced to choose between God’s authority or earthly authority. Take into your world the principles they modelled and see the influence God’s Spirit can have through you today.
A Final Prayer
Father, thank You that nothing can separate me from Your love. Not trouble. Not calamity. Not persecution, danger, or even death. I cling to Your promise: “Overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us” (Romans 8:37). Help me learn righteous resistance when facing earthly authorities and man-made religious systems. Help me live free today. In His name, amen.
Go to insightforliving.ca/resistance to download the full-length Searching the Scripture Bible Study and listen to Pastor Chuck’s message.
