AUGUST 13

Heirs of God

Bible Reading: Romans 8

Romans 8:16-17, “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”

A homeless woman on the streets of Astoria, Oregon, died in January 2020, having never collected a penny of the nearly $900,000 fortune she inherited when her mother passed away in 2016.  She died broke and destitute on the streets of Astoria.  This, after emails, Facebook messages, newspaper advertisements and a private investigator, failed to track her whereabouts.

That story raises a lot of questions, but especially noteworthy is the contradiction of her manner of life to the reality of her wealth.  She’d been amply supplied through her mother’s inheritance to be well provisioned, yet she was walking unawares and died in poverty.  Just like that, it is possible for us to act like spiritual paupers, despite the reality of our princely position in Christ.

Having been adopted by God, the child of God is an heir of God and a fellow heir with Christ.  This inheritance is “kept in heaven” for us and described to be “imperishable, undefiled, and unfading” (1 Peter 1:4).  Ephesians 1:3 reminds us we’ve been blessed in Christ “with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.”  Later in that passage, we read of how the Spirit is “the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession (Ephesians 1:14). 

The Spirit’s presence in us testifies both to our identity as a child of God and the heirship associated with our adoption.  He is well able to divert our focus away from what we think we lack, so we would behold instead the glories of that which we even now possess in Christ.  Paul’s prayer in Ephesians chapter one reminds us of the strategic role the Spirit of God plays in keeping us mindful of our heavenly blessings.  His prayer was, in part, that God might give to us “the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of our hearts enlighted,”… that you may know what are “the glorious inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:17-18).  We’ll not hear or know of this glorious inheritance through emails, or Facebook messages, or newspaper advertisements, or the work of a private investigator.  We know the truth, having the eyes of our hearts enlightened, as a direct result of the working of the Holy Spirit.  How important it is for us then, to stay attentive to the Spirit’s witness through the Word so we will walk according to the reality of who we are and all we possess in Christ.

John MacArthur has noted: “Many of us are heirs of those who have very little to bequeath in earthly possessions, and our human inheritance will amount to little, perhaps nothing.  But just as God’s resources are limitless, because, as His fellow heirs, we share in everything that the true Son of God, Jesus Christ, inherits.  One day everything on earth will perish and disappear, because the whole earth is defiled and corrupted.  By great and marvelous contrast, however, one day every believer will ‘obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for (him)’ (1 Peter 1:4)!” The Spirit works to remind us.

A CHILD OF THE KING

My Father is rich in houses and land,
He holdeth the wealth of the world in His hands!
Of rubies and diamonds, of silver and gold,
His coffers are full, He has riches untold.

Refrain: I’m a child of the King,
A child of the King,
With Jesus my Savior,
I’m a child of the King.

My Father’s own Son, the Savior of men,
Once wandered on earth as the poorest of them;
But now He is reigning for ever on high,
And will give me a home in heav’n by and by. [Refrain]

I once was an outcast stranger on earth,
A sinner by choice and an alien by birth;
But I’ve been adopted, my name’s written down,
An heir to a mansion, a robe and a crown. [Refrain]

A tent or a cottage, why should I care?
They’re building a palace for me over there;
Though exiled from home, yet still may I sing:
All glory to God, I’m a child of the King. [Refrain]

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Author: looking2jesus13

Jerry L. Conklin was born and raised in Hillsboro, Oregon. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served for six years in the Navy’s Nuclear Power Program. He was assigned to the USS *Omaha* (SSN-692), a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine, where he served as a reactor-plant electrical operator. His military service took him to ports and locations throughout the world and provided extensive technical training, leadership experience, and an enduring appreciation for those who serve in the Armed Forces. Following his Navy service, Jerry earned a bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Technology from Thomas Edison State University. He worked at the Trojan Nuclear Plant near Rainier, Oregon, first as a reactor operator and later as a training specialist. After sensing God’s call to pastoral ministry, he left the nuclear-power industry and earned a master’s degree in theology from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary in Portland, Oregon. Jerry served for twenty-seven and a half years as senior pastor of Lewis and Clark Bible Church in Astoria, Oregon. During those years, he preached and taught the Scriptures, provided pastoral counseling, performed weddings and memorial services, trained church leaders, and served individuals and families throughout the community. He also served as a fire department chaplain and participated in a variety of community ministries. After retiring from full-time pastoral ministry, Jerry and his wife, Laura, moved to Heppner, Oregon. There he served for approximately four years as a chaplain with Pioneer Memorial Home Health and Hospice, providing spiritual and emotional support to more than 150 patients and their families. In 2023, the Oregon Association for Home Care honored him as its Chaplain of the Year. Jerry also helped establish South Morrow County Seniors Matter, a nonprofit organization created to address the needs of older adults following the COVID-19 pandemic. As chairman, he worked with community leaders and volunteers to develop a weekly senior meal program, a monthly veterans’ lunch, and other activities and services. The organization served hundreds of seniors, mobilized more than 200 volunteers, and received statewide and national recognition. In 2025, Jerry was named Heppner’s Man of the Year, and his community service was later recognized by United States Senator Jeff Merkley. International missions have also been an important part of Jerry’s ministry. He has made ten trips to Uganda, where he has taught at pastors’ conferences, preached in churches, participated in Bible-school graduations, distributed Bibles and Christian materials, and encouraged local pastors and ministry leaders. He developed the discipleship booklet *First Steps with Jesus* to help new believers understand and grow in their faith. Jerry is the author of numerous books, Bible studies, devotionals, and teaching resources, including works centered on prayer, Christian hope, spiritual growth, and the person of Jesus Christ. His decades of preaching and teaching reflect his commitment to presenting biblical truth clearly, practically, and faithfully. Jerry and Laura were married for nearly forty-two years and raised four children. They were also blessed with three grandchildren. Laura passed away in August 2025 following an eight-and-a-half-year battle with cancer. Jerry currently lives in Hillsboro, where he helps care for his elderly father. He continues to preach, teach, write, and serve others through pastoral and community ministry.

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