By His death and resurrection, Jesus Christ bequeaths an inheritance to everyone who will receive Him as Lord and Savior. This inheritance has some absolute components. 1 Peter 1:³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

⁴To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

This inheritance has some components that must be claimed because they pertain only to our journey on earth.You and I have an enemy who wants to steal our earthly inheritance, kill our joy and destroy our lives. Jesus said in John 10:¹⁰ The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

One of those components that must be claimed is knowledge of the only true God and Jesus Christ Whom He has sent. On the night He was betrayed Jesus had a private conversation with the Father recorded in the book of John.

John 17:¹These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:

²As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

³And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

How do you get to know someone? Do you prefer to spend time together? Do you talk with them? Do you do things together? or do you just observe them?

What is your knowledge of the only true God?

What is your knowledge of Jesus Christ Whom He has sent?

The Bible gives the reader much information about the only true God and Jesus Christ Whom He has sent. What have you read?

What have you learned about the only true God and His Jesus Christ Whom He has sent?

Peter admonishes us to grow in our knowledge of the only true God and Jesus Christ Whom He has sent. 1 Peter 3:¹⁷Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

¹⁸But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.

What steps can you take to grow in your knowledge of the only true God and Jesus Christ Whom He has sent?

Why should you want to grow in your knowledge of the only true God and Jesus Christ Whom He has sent?

Paul determined to count his personal achievements as loss so he can grow in knowledge of the only true God and Jesus Christ Whom He has sent. Philippians 3:⁴Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:

⁵Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

⁶Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

⁷But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

⁸Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

⁹And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

¹⁰That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

¹¹If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

¹²Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

¹³Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

¹⁴I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

¹⁵Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

Why do you think your knowledge of the only true God and Jesus Christ Whom He has sent will grow when you consider what He has done and is doing rather than what you have done and are doing?

Our focus – Hebrews 12:¹ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Our challenge – Dearly Beloved,

Run with your eyes on Jesus alone!

Run in faith that Jesus loves you, has uniquely designed and created only one you, has a good plan for your life, runs with you and will accomplish His purposes for you and through  you!

Run in His strength alone!

Run with your eyes on the prize!

Run with the desire to finish strong!

Run with the desire to finish with your lamp burning!

Run with the expectation of being in His physical presence when you cross your finish line!

Run to His glory alone!

Run and keep on running!

Coach Patti