A legacy of a Reverence for God (no one greater!)
Matthew 10:37, ‘Anyone who loves his father and mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son and daughter more than me is not worthy of me.’
- Henry Blackaby: ‘You need to have your life radically oriented to God. The most difficult thing you will have to do is deny self, take up the will of God, and follow after Him. The most difficult part of your relationship to God is being God-centered.’
- Psalms 145:4 (Living Bible) ‘Let each generation tell its children what glorious things He does.’
Positive Spiritual legacy = leaving memories of God working in and through your life (good/bad times) priorities focused on Him.
- Acts 20:24-35, ‘I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me…’
- 20:27, Priority of proclaiming the ‘whole will of God.’ God’s revealed Word and Will!
- 28-31: ‘Keep watch over yourselves…’ Priority: God-centered life holding to and believing in God’s Word for every circumstance, experience, enterprise, etc., pleasing Him and serving others whatever the cost!
- 32-35: ‘Commit you to God and to the Word of His Grace…’ Priority of emphasizing the spiritual, bringing everything in our life, material, physical, etc., to be subject to living a Spirit-filled life!
I marvel, although not fully understanding God’s Word in Ephesians 1:4:
- ‘God chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.’
To others, my life is but a blip on the horizon but to God I’m special! Totally agree with the quote by an unknown author: ‘You have set the season and I want to weave it into the tapestry of my life.’
Like my parents, I want to leave a spiritual legacy in order that my descendants will recognize the greatness of God who is Lord, Father, Creator, Guide, Friend, Counselor, Companion, etc.
- Psalm 139:13-16: ‘For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.’
- Jeremiah 1:4-9 (‘Message’): ‘Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you: A prophet to the nations—that’s what I had in mind for you.’ But I said, ‘Hold it, Master God! Look at me, I don’t know anything. I’m only a boy!’ God told me, Don’t say, ‘I’m only a boy.’ I’ll tell you where to go and you’ll go there I’ll tell you what to say and you’ll say it. Don’t be afraid of a soul. I’ll be right there, looking after you…God’s Decree. God reached out, touched my mouth, and said ‘Look! I’ve just put my words in your mouth—hand delivered!’’ Precious words from the Bible!
Life really changed for me when I met and married Anne. We met at church while I was attending Chelston Bible College, in Torquay, U.K. Anne’s parents were not followers of Jesus and they had higher hopes for their only daughter than a Bible student! But she still married me on 2/10/65. A miracle!
Our 52 years of marriage confirm that God’s ways are best! He has blessed us in so many ways.
When Anne was expecting our first child (Marianne) she was encouraged by the doctor to abort due to Anne having mumps. Marianne was born healthy! Then told we would never have any more children, within 5 years we had three and later they married American spouses and gave us 10 grandchildren.
As children proceed through life we wonder how they will do: Behavior, attitude, crisis, etc., at school, in marriage, with friends, at work, etc. They need our love and prayers!
Joshua 24:15: ‘Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…as for me and my household we will serve the Lord.’ Joshua influenced his family to reverence, trust God above all.
- (Lord re- Abraham in) Genesis 18:19, ‘I have chosen him that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord…so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has promised him.’
- Note: Eli, in 1 Samuel 2:29: ‘honoring your sons above me…’ 3:13, ‘punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew…and did not restrain them.’
Failed to stop his sons’ ungodly behavior and attitude. Indicating honoring his children in place of God. Priority: Place God first before everything and everyone! Be encouraged: `The Best is yet to Be.`
The Apostle Paul was an encourager! Philippians 1:3 ‘I thank God every time I remember you.’
Acts 20:17-38: Intentional desire to leave a spiritual legacy for the good of others 36-38. (To be continued…)
Your friend and Pastor,
Jim