Are You Leaving A Legacy Of Faith?

PRAY OVER THIS

“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth.” Psalm 127:3-4

 

PONDER THIS

What is my responsibility as a dad? My responsibility is to shape, sharpen, and shoot arrows at the enemy. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of one’s youth. My highest ambition is not to be primarily a good pastor or a good preacher; it’s to be a good husband and a good father. If I had to choose between my profession and my family, I’d choose my family. There are many pastors and preachers in the world, but my kids only have one dad.

As a matter of fact, the Bible says that, if a man doesn’t practice it at home, he won’t be able to do it outside the home either (see 1 Timothy 3:4-5). A pastor ought to be one who has his family under his spiritual leadership. The archer of these arrows must be strong: “Like arrows in the hand of a warrior.” We’re not talking about physical strength here, because some of us could not qualify. We’re talking about spiritual strength, and any can qualify. Be strengthened in the Lord so that you can pass on the legacy of faith.

Who passed down a legacy of faith to you?

Who do you have the opportunity to share your legacy of faith with?

PRACTICE THIS

Consider ways to pass on your legacy of faith to another and take a specific action this week that moves toward that goal.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Leaving a Legacy for Your Family

PRAY OVER THIS

“For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children; that the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children, that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments.”

Psalm 78:5-7

 

PONDER THIS

Children don’t make a rich man poor; they make a poor man rich. The rich man can’t take his money to Heaven, but I’m taking my kids to Heaven. I’m taking my grand kids too. We’re going to Heaven. This is our wealth. How is our faith to be carried on? From generation to generation.

When my first boy was born, I was a student in college. He wasn’t happenstance; he was planned. But thank God for the happenstance—they’re planned also. We wanted to begin our family, and we did, and God gave us a boy. We named him Steve, after Stephen in the Bible. When I looked at that little red face, I saw my wife, kissed her, and thanked her for going down into the valley of the shadow of death to bring life into the world. Then I dropped to my knees, and I wept. I said, “Oh God if I never amount to much, if I fail as a pastor, if I don’t know how to preach, if I am never heard of—oh God, make me a good daddy. Make me a man of God that my children can look up to.”

How have you invested in creating a legacy of faith, whether you have children or not?

Who has left a legacy of faith with you?

PRACTICE THIS

Think about three people you can invest in and pray for to continue the legacy of faith you have received.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

What legacy are you leaving behind?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, ‘What mean the testimonies and the statutes and the judgments which the Lord our God hath commanded you?’ Then thou shalt say unto thy son, ‘We were Pharaoh’s bondmen in Egypt and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand… And He brought us out from thence that He might bring us in. Deuteronomy 6:20-23

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Fathers, you’re going to leave a legacy. The most important thing in your life, other than your relationship with God, is your family. God brought you out of your bondage, sorrow, and night, that He might bring you into His land of glorious fruitfulness and light.

The best thing most of us fathers could do is ask, “Oh, God, teach me how to walk in victory. Lord, get me out of this wilderness. I want to be a Spirit-filled Christian living in victory.”

May I tell you what’s wrong with many of our families? They’ve come out of Egypt but they haven’t “gone into Canaan.” They’re saved; they’re going to Heaven. But I’m convinced the reason the devil gets most of the kids out of good families is they’ve come out, but they’ve never gone in. They’re dumped in the desert, and they’re going around in circles. And the child never sees in them victory.

ACTION POINT:

Do your children see in you victory? Is there the principle of possession? Have they seen the corn and oil, the grapes, figs and pomegranates that Canaan represents: the fullness of the Lord Jesus Christ? Or do they just hear sermons about it on Sunday?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers