If you will remain standing for the Reading
- 2 Kings 13:20-21
20 Then Elisha died and was buried.
Groups of Moabite raiders used to invade the land each spring.
21 Once when some Israelites were burying a man, they spied a band of these raiders. So they hastily threw the corpse into the tomb of Elisha and fled. But as soon as the body touched Elisha’s bones, the dead man revived and jumped to his feet!
Let’s pray
Father, thank you for allowing us to make it through another year
-Show slide of BABY
So our church sponsored a local family and
The mother of this family had her baby
Give yourself a hand clap!
I am so glad to be a part of a giving Church
So today is day number 2 of our 21 day fast
INFO At connect-church.com/21days
Videos every day with the daily prayer focus
Today’s title is “Living for Legacy”
What are you leaving behind?
More important
What will you be taking with you into the New year
Every year we find ourselves
Making a new years resolution
Declaring we’re going to get better at something
We’re going to be a better parent
I’m going to quit smoking
Or quit drinking
I’m going to eat better
Get a gym membership
Pray more
Read my bible more
Has anyone every done this?
We get to the end of the year and declare
“I WILL CHANGE…. Or do…” Fill in the BLANK?We have the BEST intentions
These are great goals
And it’s beneficial to set goals
But today I want you to view your goals a little differently
Not
What I want to do
But WHO I want to become
And even further, WHO I want to be like
When life begins to squeeze you
What is inside of you
Is what will come out
Who you are inside will be
What pours out of you
-What do you see when you look in the mirror?
-Who are you when no one is around?
If we’re honest, at some point
We have ALL looked at ourselves in the mirror
And didn’t like what we saw
If we fashion our
lives
Lifestyle
Attitudes
Jobs
Relationships
After the world
We cannot expect to have a spiritual outcome
Let’s talk about LAGACY
What is “LEGACY”
an amount of money or property left to someone in a will.
So it’s something that you LEAVE behind you
For the next person AFTER you
So that they will have a better Future
It changes your focus from
What can I get
To what can I leave
Have you ever been
- Living life
Spending money
Raising kids
Coming to church
Going to your job
We do these “tasks” for years
It’s just “How life is”
We get into a routine that works for us
We like things that we can depend on
We like our “Knowns”
We stick to our routine
But, if we’re not careful
Our Routine will become our RUT
And this will eventually become our GRAVE
But then somewhere along the way life becomes
Dull
Boring
Unfulfilled
You may want to STOP
Take a step back and check your
Motives and
Focus
Are you living for Today only?
Or are you Living for Legacy to give the
Generations after you a better Future?
- So let's talk LEGACY BLOCKERS
7 Legacy blockers:
Lack of focus. Tristen doing 8 things at once and Nothing gets finished
Living the life others want you to live.
When you live according to others, you’ll lose yourself
Bitterness, anger, and fear.
These 3 things are the Joy and Purpose Stealer
Consumerism.
Take in without giving out
Being a consumer instead of a contributor
Urgencies that take the push back or suppress priorities.
Distracted by things that shouldn’t take priority
Giving priority to things that will yield the least amount of profit/outcome
Safety.
Nothing great EVER happens when there’s minimal risk
Defeatism.
“It won’t matter.”
Giving up before you even start
Living by someone else’s or Society’s definition of Who you should be.
The only definition you need to worry about is that one Defined by God
You are His child
What you’re doing matters
Who you are Matters
One more time for those taking notes
7 Legacy blockers:
Lack of focus.
Living the life others want you to live.
Bitterness, anger, and fear.
Consumerism.
Urgencies that push back or suppress priorities.
Safety.
Defeatism. “It won’t matter.”
Build legacy by eliminating behaviors and attitudes that dilute impact.
It’s not enough to add positive behaviors; eliminate bad.
The only time to build legacy is now.
The only way to change legacy is to change things NOW.
Something I have learned
If you’re always waiting for the Perfect time to do something
Waiting for that Perfect Moment to ACT
You’ll be waiting your whole life and
Never Accomplish anything
So we’ve addressed the hard stuff
What can block leaving a Legacy
- Now let’s talk about how to BUILD a Legacy
10 ways to build powerful legacy:
Dare to be joyful. (The Joy of the Lord) Serve in ways that bring you joy. = Strength and Fulfillment
Angry, unhappy people do not leave legacies, they leave problems
Monitor your impact on others.
What are you doing when you make the biggest difference? Do MORE of that.
Develop and maximize your talent, strengths, and skills. Know yourself – Bring what you have to the Table.
DO NOT COMPARE - Comparing Kills calling
This is why we have our growth track, to know yourself better spiritually and to figure out where you can serve the BEST and find your purpose
Do what matters now.
Everyone who’s at the end of their life says it goes by fast.
Don’t waste precious time
We are not promise tomorrow so make TODAY count
Seize small opportunities.
No one just wakes up one day and is a millionaire
No one EVER just pops out of bed - Wow I know scripture
That why we have the challenge of 15
Only 15 minutes a day
Small step matter most
They always lead to bigger gains/more increase
Start with those closest to you and the ones you spend the most time with.
World changers start by making a difference in their own
Home
Church
City
Bring your best self
Wake up every morning expecting to make a difference
Bring your “A” game to the table EVERY day (good attitude) You can’t speak life with negativity
If you believe you’re going to make a difference, so will everyone else
If you doubt you can make a difference, so will everyone else
Whether you think you CAN or CAN’T, either way you’re right
Think service NOT success.
Your life, your gifts, talents. They’re not just for you to enjoy
Living for Legacy takes the focus off of you and points it to Others
That was the life of Jesus (didn’t live for himself)
Relax.
Don’t run around building a legacy.
Run around making a difference.
Living with purpose and serving others, not yourself
Elevate the needs of others over your own.
Change from being ME centered to You Centered
This will change the way you respond to specific situations
You’ll see people from the perspective of Jesus like you have never seen before
A new level of compassion
- Charles Dickens said this
“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”
^ Reflection
- What is holding you back from leaving behind a Legacy?
What do you need to start making a difference
How will you create ripples in the waters
If we are not concerned about who is replacing us
We are Dishonoring God with our lives
- Matthew 28:19-20
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
The last words Jesus spoke to His disciples about
“Living for Legacy”
Not to just be proud and content for the “NOW”
But to Prepare for what’s to come when you’re gone
Just like Elisha
His life was already done
Because he was a Servant of God
Even in his death
Life was restored
This event is a foreshadowing of what Jesus did on the cross
In His death, Life is given, Freely
With Every head bowed
