Galatians 4:7 NASB
Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
One evening, my father returned home from a weekend in Las Vegas. He looked frantic and defeated. My family knew why. As he’s done so many times before, he returned home after gambling away our family’s life savings. And again, he tried to justify why he gambled, stating that his job as a convenience store manager simply didn’t pay enough, forcing him to take his hard-earned salary to Las Vegas, Nevada or Lake Charles, Louisiana every weekend in hopes of winning enough money to support us. That evening, as my father sat, my mother, brother, and I pleaded with him to stop feeding his addictions, gambling, cigarettes, alcohol, and prostitutes, as he frequented local Asian-owned brothels around Houston. Devastated, he stood up full of rage, cursing my brother and I, saying, “How dare you both stand against me! Neither of you will ever exceed my accomplishments! I gamble for you! I gamble to give you a roof over your head and to put rice on the table! I gamble to pay for your education!”
The truth about his last statement was that the U.S. government and I paid for my college education with financial aid and student loans. Loans which I eventually paid off seven years after graduating. Although I knew his harsh words were probably not true, I couldn’t help but to wonder, “Was he right?” After all, I grew up in poverty my entire life.
Years later, as my father fought colon cancer, he boastfully shared that he must have lost nearly three million dollars in his lifetime at the casinos and while playing mahjong, a Chinese form of dominoes. He then admitted that he must have spent over a quarter million on prostitutes.
Then, in February 2004, while I was in college, hopelessly depressed and suicidal, I cried out to the God of the universe and Jesus Christ answered. Jesus saved me that afternoon from experiencing both my physical death and more importantly my eternal damnation in the fiery infernos of hell. A few months after my salvation I read, John 14:12-14 which Jesus states, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.”
Upon reading those scriptures I sat dumbfounded and astonished, as hope and joy began to fill my heart. “Can this be true,” I thought to myself. “Did the Savior of my soul also equip me with the ability to accomplish all He did and even greater?”
Upon reading these words, I sought confirmation, running to DJ, my business partner and best friend. Speechless, I handed him my Bible and pointed at the scriptures. Patiently, he read the words in red out loud and stated, “Those are great scriptures. Very inspiring.”
As tears filled my eyes and hope began to overflow from my heart, I asked him, “Is it true?” With a big smile DJ proclaimed, “Absolutely Jon, the scriptures are in red, meaning they are the actual documented words of Jesus Christ Himself. And, Jesus has never lied and every single word He ever spoke is truth.”
Astonished, I stared at Jesus’s words once more and asked, “Aside from salvation, what else did Jesus do?” Smiling again, DJ said, “Great question, Jon. You should ‘Google it’ and find out. Start with searching ‘Jesus’s miracles’ in Google.”
I did as I was instructed and started the journey filled with miracles, signs, and wonders that would lead me to eventually becoming a husband, pastor, and author.
I remember weeks after that encounter, while sitting on the floor of my bedroom reading the Bible, I asked God, “Why would you give us the ability to do the things that You’ve done and even greater?” He responded, “Because I am a good Father.”
Proverbs 13:22 NASB
A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, and the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.
That statement made me realize that the curse of my earthly father was broken the moment my Heavenly Father adopted me and forgave me, giving me the ability to release my own father for his actions and his harsh and hurtful words.
Matthew 6:14-15 NASB
For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.
If you were like me, someone who grew up in poverty, depravity, pain, family curses, and suffering. Know that Jesus has a new inheritance for you… His entire kingdom. And, with Jesus in your heart and His kingdom in your hand, all things are possible, if you believe.
#inheritance #goodfather #godisgood #jesusisgood
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