Fasting - Day 15

Legacy

Hello everyone,
Here we are in day 15 of our 21 days fast. I continually pray that this fast has been beneficial for each of you and that God is pulling you in closer to His side and speaking to you and revealing to you things as never before. I pray that you now have clarity and vision that you did not have before. I pray that God is speaking to you about your life and your future. Finally, I pray that you are continually being encouraged with each passing day that this year will be different.  ​This year will be like no other year before it and that you are excited about the future both on an individual level and for Hope Church. 

I thank each of you for your willingness to embark on this journey with Hope Church and I applaud your desire for more. More of God in your life and more of His presence with you everywhere you go. I believe in the “first fruit” principle. I give the first of my time, talent and resources to God, so He can use the gifts, talents and resources He has given me for the kingdom. I believe that we are in the process of setting the course for 2018. We have started out giving God ourselves in order to see spiritual breakthrough and blessings in our lives and the lives of those within our own communities and the community where Hope Church resides. God sees this, and God will honor it and reward those who diligently seek Him.

Today I want us to consider the word legacy. What do you picture when this word come before your mind? Do you think of great sports players of the past or past leaders and presidents? Do you think of some hero figure you had when you were growing up? What does this word incite when you think of legacy?

For many of us we think of great legends and men and women of renowned status and character who made a mark on this earth. While this is true I want you to think about legacy being more simple than that. Oftentimes we see leaving a legacy as monetary or heroic and they can be but that ideal often forces us to give up on being legendary and leaving a legacy.

 Legacy means anything handed down from the past; from our predecessor or ancestors. It can be money or fame or character. I could leave a legacy for my children such as an inheritance. I could also leave a legacy of character for my children.

God has left us a legacy both in spirit and in truth. He has left us the Holy Spirit as a reminder and legacy of who He is, our loving father that did not want to leave us as orphans (John 14:18). God has also left us a legacy in His inheritance. We are no longer orphans but children of God (Galatians 4:7). We are able to take part in His inheritance (Ephesians 1:1-18/Colossians 3:24 and Hebrews 9:15). First Peter 1:3,4 describes this inheritance “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

 As children of God we have been left a legacy something given to us, passed down to us from generation to generation. It is these legacies that we are to build our lives upon. It is the legacy that was passed down from Abraham to Isaac, Isaac to Jacob, David to Solomon, Jesus to us. The legacy came from the father and has been given to us to pass down to our succeeding generations. The legacy of truth and the inheritance of all things and everlasting life. From the outset of creation God has given us all things and we are to have dominion over them. Ever since Jesus was resurrected we have been given all authority and we are to use that authority to live out the legacy that has been passed down to us.

So how about us this morning? Are we living in such a way that there will be a legacy of us when we leave this earth? A legacy as I am speaking of it today, is simply a foundation of truth for the next generation to build their lives upon. I know you are saying “I am not legendary and I have nothing to leave them in the money department,” oh but you are and you do. You are legendary because God made you special and unique and there is no one else like you on planet earth. No one before you and no one after you has left or will leave the mark on this generation and this earth that you will leave. According to your heavenly father and all He has said about you in His word you are legendary (Psalm 139). According to your heavenly father you are His child and as His children you have what He has. You may not have money or things of monetary value at the moment but that does not mean this will always be the case. Our Father owns it all and will bless you as you begin to switch the focus from yourself to others. As you begin to change the focus of your life from survival mode to  legendary mode God will bless that and use that to help you begin the foundation for the next generation.

Just as those who have gone before us you will pass something on for the next generation. The mark you leave on this earth will affect the next generation. So what legacy will you leave? Its not about fame or money its about leaving a foundation for the next generation to build on. Have you begun your foundation yet? If not, there is still time. If you are reading this then that means you are still alive and able to begin to form a foundation for the next generation to build their lives upon. Our heavenly father has left a legacy and inheritance for us and we are to reciprocate by leaving one for the ones will come behind us. Begin your legacy today.

As you meditate on that word today through prayer and fasting ask God to show you how He wants you to build a legacy for the next generation. You may be shocked at His answer.

​Blessings to Each of You,
Pastor Russ