2-7-99 A Godly Inheritance Psalm 112
by Ronald E. George Jr.
How Important is the interconnection of human lives? The human life that was fashioned by the hand of God in his image is inevitably molded by every touch of another. We all are fitted together by the hand of the master craftsman. Like one giant puzzle the Human life is the culmination of thousands of touches of others. The majority of those touches have molded us into who we are today. This is the inheritance that we leave our children. Who we are and who we continue to be to others is the eternal influence we have on all those we see, know, and touch.
Think for awhile this morning about how your life has been influenced by others; particularly, the influence of your parents. Also, think about the way you have been touched by other significant adults in your life. Think of how God has used different people in your life to lead you to him. Now, finally think about the way you have been touched by your peers. Good or bad we are all in this thing called life together. Every decision, every action, every word, everything we do has an effect on another, even when you don’t want it to.
This past week we went to the grave of a brother in the Lord to give to him our love for the last time on this earth and looking forward to the life to come. But he had a profound effect upon my life and the life of many others in our community. Shortly, after he had decided to give his life to the Lord he began to follow the Lord. Even though he was stricken with cancer of the lungs, he continued to serve. Beginning with his baptism and weekly church attendance, he followed Christ and left to each who knew his life touched a godly inheritance. As he carried his oxygen tank with him he went as far as he could go with God from here to eternity. His life has inspired me to think about how my life effects others.
Scripture Text: Psalm 112:1-10
Psal 112:1 (KJS) Praise ye the LORD. Blessed [is] the man [that] feareth the LORD, [that] delighteth greatly in his commandments. {Praise...: Heb. Hallelujah} 2 His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches [shall be] in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever. 4 Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: [he is] gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. 5 A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion. {discretion: Heb. judgment} 6 Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. 7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD. 8 His heart [is] established, he shall not be afraid, until he see [his desire] upon his enemies. 9 He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour. 10 The wicked shall see [it], and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.
{[This psalm is an acrostic poem, the lines of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. From Aleph to Tau each letter is represented.)
1. Am I a person that fears the Lord and delights in serving and obeying the Lord? Psal 112:1 (KJS) Praise ye the LORD. Blessed [is] the man [that] feareth the LORD, [that] delighteth greatly in his commandments.Can I say that I love to serve the Lord or do I serve myself and call it serving God? There is one way to check our lives and that is according to God’s book, the Bible. Do our lives fall into line with the book? Have we been saved? Are we following the Lord? Have we been baptized? Does this matter to me?
Matt 7:17 (KJS) Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither [can] a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Am I having the kind of influence that is produced by the Holy One who lives and works within my life to produce that which is of God? Do I bear his fruit?
At about the time Ruth Bell (later, the wife of Billy Graham) left China she wrote out what she wanted in a husband -- in spite of the fact that she had decided to remain single and be a missionary! "If I marry: He must be so tall that when he is on his knees, as one has said, he reaches all the way to Heaven. His shoulders must be broad enough to bear the burden of a family. His lips must be strong enough to smile, firm enough to say no, and tender enough to kiss. Love must be so deep that it takes its stand in Christ and so wide that it takes the whole lost world in. He must be active enough to be gentle and great enough to be thoughtful. His arms must be strong enough to carry a little child.
What Kind of inheritance am I leaving behind?