Legacy 2
One has rightly said, “A man should strive to be three things to his family - ahead of them as a guide, behind them as an encourager, beside them as a friend.”
As fathers, mothers, and grandparents, if we are going to leave a godly legacy, we need to accomplish these three goals.
How can you get ahead, behind, and beside our kids, our adult kids, and our grandkids?
How are you guiding them, encouraging them, and being their friend? This needs to be intentional. Each child needs to be guided and encouraged differently; this changes as they get older, go off to college, get married, and have kids of their own. A parent's support, friendship, guidance, and encouragement are always needed. As parents, we must continue to grow so we can be what our kids need us to be.
Colossians 1:10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way:
As Christians, we must live a life worthy of the Lord. As we figure that out, we give our kids an example to follow. We say with the Apostle Paul, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1)
By example and word, we teach our kids and grandkids how to live a worthy life in Christ.
We teach them that Jesus loves them even more than we love them.
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
We teach them to see the needs of others and how to meet those needs.
James 1:26 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
We teach them how to treat others.
Matthew 7:9 "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
We teach them how to pray.
Matthew 6:9 "This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.' 14 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
We teach them how to accept God’s will.
Romans 8:31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
We teach them these things not by just telling them but by doing them together as a family.
We are not and were not perfect, but even in our sins and mistakes, we can teach our kids and grandkids to seek forgiveness, make amends, and apologize. Setting an example of humility may be one of the most powerful lessons we can teach.
Leaving a legacy takes time; quantity, and quality; you can’t have one without the other.
The only way we will leave a godly legacy is to continue to grow in our faith. Continue to set an example as you grow older in Jesus. We can set an example for our kids at each stage of life. What does a Christian marriage look like at three years, at 30 years, and at 60 years? We have to show them what it means to be a Christian employee and a Christian neighbor. We have to give our kids an example of what God expects of His children as members of His church. What does serving the Lord look like at thirty and in retirement? What does generosity look like at each stage of life?
If we don’t teach them, they will have to learn on their own, maybe like we had to.
We have a heavy burden, but God gives us the strength to teach them.
So, if we are going to leave a godly legacy for our kids and grandkids, we must be intentional in our efforts.
Spending time with our kids is always worth every minute. Don’t ever entertain the idea of what Charles Adams said.
Charles Francis Adams, son of U.S. President John Quincy Adams, was a diplomat in Great Britain. On one occasion, he wrote this in his diary: "Went fishing with my son today--a day wasted." His son, Brooks, wrote this entry for the same day: "Went fishing with my father--the most wonderful day of my life."
Your wasted day is a wonderful day for your child. Make an effort daily to spend time with your kids so you can leave a godly legacy for them. Intentionally teaching them the ways of God.
Deuteronomy 6:5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Give your kids a big hug today and let them know you love them. Pray with them, listen to them, and just play some games. You are not too busy to invest in the most important people in your life.
Call or message your adult kids and let them know how proud you are of them and how much you love them.
Today is the day you begin leaving a godly legacy.
Our Serve Love20, June 1 to June 9, would be a perfect time to begin creating a godly legacy of service.
Sign up on Sunday to serve the Lord together as a family, or sign up via this link.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfaUBICC5oifmp-8GiS7pLP0kg1FLQUlNwIZg08nlb3zsothA/viewform?usp=sf_link
One has rightly said, “A man should strive to be three things to his family - ahead of them as a guide, behind them as an encourager, beside them as a friend.”
As fathers, mothers, and grandparents, if we are going to leave a godly legacy, we need to accomplish these three goals.
How can you get ahead, behind, and beside our kids, our adult kids, and our grandkids?
How are you guiding them, encouraging them, and being their friend? This needs to be intentional. Each child needs to be guided and encouraged differently; this changes as they get older, go off to college, get married, and have kids of their own. A parent's support, friendship, guidance, and encouragement are always needed. As parents, we must continue to grow so we can be what our kids need us to be.
Colossians 1:10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way:
As Christians, we must live a life worthy of the Lord. As we figure that out, we give our kids an example to follow. We say with the Apostle Paul, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1)
By example and word, we teach our kids and grandkids how to live a worthy life in Christ.
We teach them that Jesus loves them even more than we love them.
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
We teach them to see the needs of others and how to meet those needs.
James 1:26 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
We teach them how to treat others.
Matthew 7:9 "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
We teach them how to pray.
Matthew 6:9 "This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.' 14 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
We teach them how to accept God’s will.
Romans 8:31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
We teach them these things not by just telling them but by doing them together as a family.
We are not and were not perfect, but even in our sins and mistakes, we can teach our kids and grandkids to seek forgiveness, make amends, and apologize. Setting an example of humility may be one of the most powerful lessons we can teach.
Leaving a legacy takes time; quantity, and quality; you can’t have one without the other.
The only way we will leave a godly legacy is to continue to grow in our faith. Continue to set an example as you grow older in Jesus. We can set an example for our kids at each stage of life. What does a Christian marriage look like at three years, at 30 years, and at 60 years? We have to show them what it means to be a Christian employee and a Christian neighbor. We have to give our kids an example of what God expects of His children as members of His church. What does serving the Lord look like at thirty and in retirement? What does generosity look like at each stage of life?
If we don’t teach them, they will have to learn on their own, maybe like we had to.
We have a heavy burden, but God gives us the strength to teach them.
So, if we are going to leave a godly legacy for our kids and grandkids, we must be intentional in our efforts.
Spending time with our kids is always worth every minute. Don’t ever entertain the idea of what Charles Adams said.
Charles Francis Adams, son of U.S. President John Quincy Adams, was a diplomat in Great Britain. On one occasion, he wrote this in his diary: "Went fishing with my son today--a day wasted." His son, Brooks, wrote this entry for the same day: "Went fishing with my father--the most wonderful day of my life."
Your wasted day is a wonderful day for your child. Make an effort daily to spend time with your kids so you can leave a godly legacy for them. Intentionally teaching them the ways of God.
Deuteronomy 6:5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Give your kids a big hug today and let them know you love them. Pray with them, listen to them, and just play some games. You are not too busy to invest in the most important people in your life.
Call or message your adult kids and let them know how proud you are of them and how much you love them.
Today is the day you begin leaving a godly legacy.
Our Serve Love20, June 1 to June 9, would be a perfect time to begin creating a godly legacy of service.
Sign up on Sunday to serve the Lord together as a family, or sign up via this link.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfaUBICC5oifmp-8GiS7pLP0kg1FLQUlNwIZg08nlb3zsothA/viewform?usp=sf_link
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