via TJC
He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.
Ephesians 1:5 (NIV)
As Kingdom men one of the most important relationships we can have is with our father. Not just our earthly father, but more importantly the one with our Abba, our Heavenly Father. As the anchor scripture references, God has adopted each one of us as His sons. God didn’t just want to forgive us of our sins, or just give us His word, he wanted to share in one of the most special kinships – that which is shared between a father and a son. One of those most beautiful aspects of this father-son relationship is inheritance that a father gets to share with his son. The father works tirelessly his entire life to leave this inheritance to his son. Just as a natural father would pass on his inheritance, our Heavenly Father has certainly endowed us with His inheritance as well.
I love my parents, and I am their favorite – no really, I am! I’m the only child the two of them had together. I have three sisters, who were born to prior marriages, making us a big, blended family.
As a young man I was adopted into another family. This new adopted family brought me into their family quickly, and wholeheartedly. Our first family event was a big, well-prepared meal, seated as a family around the dinner table, a place that would come to represent our family. I soon had another set of parents who have poured into me as mentors in various jobs, my own business, and growing as a man.
I invited several other men over the years to be at the table and they also became my brothers, as we all laughed, shared, and grew around that family table. These parents have taken us on vacations, traveled to see us around the globe and even saved our butts after various shortcomings. Collectively, we all also grew in our faith, going to church, but far more important praying, crying, discussing, and sharing life’s challenges and opportunities together. We are all loved and know ourselves as family. And this adopted family has shared with us an inheritance of their wisdom, unyielding love and being a part of their legacy.
In His infinite love, God has adopted all of us as His own family. Jesus’ sacrifice brought us into the family and with it we are all heirs. In ancient roman law, adopted children had the same rights and privileges as biological children even if they had been slaves. Our relationship with God is even stronger than that. Like the work of an Earthly father, our Heavenly Father became flesh, toiled through Earth, gave His life, and extended His grace in order to give us our inheritance.
Daily Battle Order:
First – have you entered into this loving relationship with God? Galatians 4 says we are all sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ. We are no longer slaves to whatever held us in bondage, God has made us heirs of His Kingdom. Second – who have you adopted into this family and brought to your physical table? This week – take time to genuinely accept and revel in God’s embrace as his adopted son, then invite that co-worker, friend from the gym, guy from your men’s group to dinner. Breaking bread, laughing, growing together will expose some of the brightest aspects of the Kingdom for you and them. Lastly, share in God’s inheritance for us together, as adopted sons!
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