5/6/12 BUILDING A LEGACY – DEUTERONOMY 6:1-15a
Today, we begin a new theme: A Lasting Legacy. The dictionary defines legacy as a gift by will, especially money or personal property, something handed down or received from an ancestor or predecessor, an inheritance. Actually, a legacy can be something more lasting than money or property. We can pass down an eternal inheritance that can change character and give strength to live day by day.
We’ll see this develop as we view each day as important. Each day we can choose to live for Christ, to walk in His Spirit, and make right choices. We must start each day with God, in His Word, and in prayer. Act like a child of God in what we say and do. Doing all things to the glory of God. We can make the best choices each and every day. It’s how to live life God’s way, one choice at a time. Phil 3:13,14
READ BUILD ON THE RIGHT FOUNDATION – DEUTERONOMY 6:1-5
The commandment refers to the instruction to love the Lord in v. 5 The fear of the Lord includes awe for His greatness and holiness; love for Him, and submission to His will. Initially, the fear of the Lord may involve fright leading to a sense of wonder, a commitment to worship, and delight in knowing God. Since God promised to bless the generations, He expected His people to follow His ways from generation to generation as well. God instructed His people so that they might live good lives full of meaning and peace. They’d live in His Presence.
v. 4 is the basic confession of faith, called the Shema. The Hebrew word for Hear is Shema. The verse starts with a command for the people to respond properly to God. They must listen and obey. The Lord our God indicates our relationship with the living God. He comes into our lives and wants a personal relationship with us. The Lord is one means “the Lord alone”. There’s only one God.
We’re urged to respond to God’s love with devotion. The word translated love may mean “to make one’s choice in” God commands His people to choose Him with all their being, and in the process to deny the ways of the world. To build a lasting legacy, the Word of God is essential in our lives. It’s the Word of God that makes us “wise for salvation.” Romans 10:17 adds that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Only the Word of God can protect us from the influence of a worldly culture.
God’s Word active in our lives allows us to pass protection to our families. We’ve everything we need in the Word of God. Our task is to impart it to the next generation. We can do this through song, Scripture, and prayer. Eph 5:19 tells us to sing to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Are we known for having a song on our lips and a tune on our heart, for reading the Word and living the Word? We should share it in our every day living. Our goal should be to know the Word so well that it becomes a natural part of our conversation.
We need to pray with and for the next generation. Children will learn to pray primarily by listening to us as we speak with the Lord. They’ll gain a passion for prayer from us more than from any other source. Make sure the children hear us praying for them. This will give them confidence that they are loved and that they can bring their own needs before the Lord. Even if we aren’t around the children, we should be praying for them. Prayer makes a difference
READ SHARE YOUR LIFE MESSAGE – DEUTERONOMY 6:6-9
For the next generation to fall in love with the Word, the Word must be a living active part of our lives. We must live it out. S.T.O.P. – Savoring the Observable Presence of God should be such a part of us that every thing we do and every where we go we see God working in situations, and we’re able to share what and how we see Him with others. The Word must become life-oriented not just information oriented. We’re to use the context of daily life to teach about God. If we want to influence anyone to follow God, we must make God a part of our everyday experiences. He must make a difference in how we live…a difference in our words, actions, and attitudes. Then we’ll be teaching ourselves and others to see God in all aspects of life, not just those that are church related.
To build a lasting legacy, we must live a life of godly conviction, conversation, and consistency watching how we use our tongue. Do we use our tongues to gossip or discourage? Eph 4:29 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” We must use our words to encourage. To make sure that our conversation is godly, let the Word of God saturate our speech (7b). Joshua 1:8 “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
As we allow the Word of God to saturate our speech, we can avoid discouraging words; one shouldn’t simply live for God in public, but in private as well. If we’re going to make a godly impression upon others, our lives must be characterized by a godly consistency.
READ KEEP YOUR FOCUS DEUTERONOMY 6:10-15a
God’s the only true Source of good from whom all blessings flow, the Source of everything good that we experience and enjoy. The emphasis is upon the LORD God granting the land and all its blessings. We’re to watch ourselves in case we forget God. The danger in experiencing fullness is the temptation to forget the LORD who gives the riches or to love the gifts more than the Giver. Our health, wealth, safety, and security aren’t rights that God or the world owes us. All the good things we experience aren’t what we earned by birth or through time or even by hard work alone.
Viewing God as our only true Source helps recall that God gets the glory and thanks. We can rest in God as our perfect Source for the future. Since God is the ultimate Provider, we can leave our burdens in His hands and know that He’s fully able to handle them. If we meditate on God as our Provider, it’ll show in how we shape our priorities, plans and purchases. God is the only true Savior of people. The LORD is the only God to pursue. He is the Master who fulfills His promises & meets our needs. He is the Savior who gives true freedom & help for our souls.
Remember God as the only true Savior. Jesus lived on earth and proved that He was the Savior. He lived perfectly without sin and performed miracles to prove His deity. He died to pay sin’s penalty and He offers that payment for sin to all who entrust their lives to Him. Then He rose from the grave so there’s no doubt that He’s the only true Savior
To build a lasting legacy, we can’t just drift through the Christian life; people don’t drift towards holiness, people don’t gravitate towards godliness or towards prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, or delight in the Lord rather we always drift towards compromise and call it tolerance, we drift towards disobedience and call it freedom; we slide towards sin and we call it grace. It happens in our lives because we’re not seeking out the armor of God to deliver us from the battle that’s going on in our hearts where Satan’s trying to stop and destroy us.
To build a lasting legacy, we have to be deliberate, we have to be mindful that Satan’s out to destroy us. We have to make sure that we put on the armor of God to give us the victory. I John 2: but he does the will of God abides forever
The only way to build a lasting legacy isn’t in the world, culture, our abilities or our talents. The only way to find victory is to stand in the armor of God, following after the will and the desires of God.
Lord, give us strength to walk with You and build our legacy in You.
Filed under: Bible Studies, deut 6, deuteronomy 6, foundation, John 3:16, keep your focus, legacy, life message
