Ephesians 1:11-20 talks about the saint’s inheritance as well as God’s inheritance. Do we know our purpose for being here? I don’t know what most people think about salvation. Many people seem to feel like salvation is being forgiven in order that they might get to heaven. The early church never made an appeal on this basis but many times this is the big appeal today. This is not our purpose. Salvation is to get us back to the purpose God has for us and for which we were created. That is the reason He saves us. If we miss that, we miss what God wants?

I read of a minister who read Ephesians 1:16-18 and the prayer so affected him that he prayed the prayer every day for weeks or maybe months. He wanted the revelation of the petitions included in the prayer which were to know the hope of his calling, the riches of the glory of his (and God’s) inheritance in the saints, and the exceeding greatness of his (God’s) power to us-ward who believe? Does God have an inheritance in the saints? This was the minister’s question. If He did, the minister wanted a revelation of it.

In these verses, there are two inheritances–our inheritance in God and God’s inheritance in us. God has an inheritance in us and he has invested a lot in us in order that He might receive glory out of our lives.  When Jesus died on the cross, that was God’s investment in us. Revelation 5:3-6 says, “And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain” John saw the slain Lamb (Jesus) and the Lamb was for us!

May the Lord help us to understand what a privilege it is to use the name of Jesus. Every time we use the name of Jesus in prayer, it should be a reminder of the investment God has made in us. Matthew 21:22 says, “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” We have this promise because of God’s investment in us. The gift of the Holy Spirit living in us is another one of God’s investments in us.

Matthew 25:14-30 records the parable of the talents given to the three servants. One servant received five talents, another servant received two, and another servant received one talent. Verses 24 and 25 say, “Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.” In verse 26 it says, “His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed.” What sin did this servant commit? He did not murder or steal anything. He simply hid what God had given him. Verses 27-28 say, “Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.” The lord of the servants was saying he should have received profit from what he had given the servant?God expects profit from everything He has given us. He expects a return from it because it will bring glory to Him. At the Judgment, we will have to give an account of what He has given us.

Has He ever healed you? Every time He heals us, He is making an investment in us and He wants a return on it.  He doesn’t just want us to be healed only. He wants to receive glory from what He has done.  Has He ever answered your prayers?  When He answers, He is making an investment in you and He wants a return on that investment.

Has He given you a job or provided money for you?  How many things has He done for us for which He expects a return on His investment?  If He does not receive the return expected, He will also call us a wicked and slothful servant? God is not talking about doing something wrong. Just because you have not done anything wrong does not mean you are a good Christian. A good Christian is when God receives a return on His investment.  Everything He does for us is an investment He makes in us.

God may ask, “Can I make an investment in this person or not?” He does not have to answer prayer. We don’t deserve what we are asking. If He answers, it is because of grace. Matthew 25:30 says, “And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” This servant was cast into outer darkness because his master did not receive a return on His investment!

John 5:5-9 records the account of Jesus healing the impotent man at the pool of Bethesda on the sabbath. John 5:14 says, “Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.” Jesus was expecting a return for forgiveness and healing.

In John 9 we read of a man who was born blind receiving his sight. After receiving his sight, he was questioned by his neighbors, others who knew him and the Pharisees concerning his healing. After repeating the account of his healing a couple of times and the Jews questioning his parents, they came back to question the man again. Verse 25 says, “Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.” Thank God for a man like that! He stood up for Jesus even though he was not sure who He was, and his standing up for Him meant he would be cast out of the synagogue. God received a wonderful return on the investment of healing this man!

Every time God answers prayer, He expects a return on the investment. It is His inheritance in us. Our talents and abilities are all different and He only expects a return on is what He has given us individually. He does not expect a return on human talent and ability. The return is to be on the abilities and talents He has given us because that is the only thing He can anoint. That is all He blesses with the anointing.  Don’t try to be like someone else.  If you try to be like someone else, you will not be anointed.  We must remember, however, that He has an investment in each of us.

I like the song “Jesus Paid It All.” We love to sing the first part but it is easy to skip over “All to Him I owe.” But it brings out what I have been saying, that God’s inheritance is His investment in us and He expects a return on it.

May we bring glory to His name as He receives a return on His investment in us.

~~Robert L. Morgan~~

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